Metro rail in Patna

Kumud Verma of Times News Network writes on Times Of India

PATNA: With all eyes set on the railway budget for 2008-2009 to be presented in the Lok Sabha on February 26, Patnaites are hopeful that railway minister Lalu Prasad, who had floated the idea of Metro rail service here, will offer a bonanza to Bihar for running a Metro rail service in Patna. This project is feasible if it is taken up as a joint venture of both the railways and the state government. The Bihar government, which is quite keen to give a metropolitan status to Patna soon, has already expressed its willingness to introduce Metro rail service in Patna. According to technical experts of the railways, a surface Metro rail service on the pattern of Delhi is feasible here. The best corridor for it could be the area along the Ganga bank right from Danapur to Fatuha, a distance of about 40 km. Since Patna University, colleges, hospital, court and main markets are located on the busy Ashok Raj path, it would prove to be a boon for the people. The whole project will cost about Rs 400 crore which can be equally shared by the state government and the railway ministry, they said. In fact, a Metro rail service in Patna is essential in view of the fact that the city has become too crowded. While the high density of population has been giving a tough challenge to the existing traffic system in the town, all main roads in the town have already reached their saturation point. In fact, traffic hazards will increase after commissioning of the Digha-Sonepur rail bridge over river Ganga by 2011. Both the state government and the railways need to work out a meticulous plan in advance for coping with the rush of passengers. The introduction of a Metro system is the best option for the railways and the state government, the experts said. They felt that the railway transport has proved to be six times more energy efficient than the road transport. A single railway track is able to carry as much traffic as 10 lanes of an expressway. Perhaps, it is from this point of view that the proposals for the Metro rail project have been considered for Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Secunderabad. The Kerala government has also decided to introduce Metro rail on a build operate transfer (BOT) basis at an estimated cost of Rs 22.4 billion at Kochi. Patna, too, deserves a better transport system like Metro rail at a time when it is well set to attain the status of a Metro city, the experts said. Speaking to TOI, Bihar urban development minister Ashwani Choubey said that the state government had already approached the Centre for sanctioning a Metro rail facility to Patna but to no avail so far. However, the state government would welcome such an initiative by the railways to fulfil the dream of a Metro rail service in the city, he said, adding that the government is keen to introduce sky bus service soon on the most crowded routes of the city. According to Choubey, the state government has been working hard to improve the traffic system in the town. Proper planning is going on in consultation with experts to give a facelift to Patna soon, he said.