Chandigarh: Now preparing to run metro till Rajpura-Pinjore, Punjab-Haryana agreed, know- complete route plan

The Director, Haryana Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (HMRTC) suggested that the corridor from Shaheed Udham Singh Chowk (ISBT Panchkula) to Panchkula Extension be included in Phase-I instead of Phase-II. He also suggested modifying the MRTS corridor to connect Sector-20 Panchkula.

The way for the metro project in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali (Tricity) is now completely clear. Along with Chandigarh, Haryana and Punjab have also agreed to join the project with some suggestions. In a high-level meeting chaired by Advisor to UT Administrator Dharampal on Wednesday, the Principal Secretary, Housing and Urban Development, from Punjab suggested connecting Rajpura to NH-64/PR-7 junction. 

Also suggested to include MRTS routes up to Chandigarh. The Government of Punjab had also sent its comments regarding the CMP to the Chandigarh Administration, which have been suitably incorporated in the final CMP report after examination. On the other hand, a suggestion was made by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal in the past regarding the metro station to connect Pinjore-Kalka with Chandigarh and Zirakpur. 

Churning was going on on the Rapid Transit System (MRTS) i.e. Metro project. In a high-level meeting chaired by Dharampal, Advisor to the UT Administrator, attended by officials from Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana and other departments on Wednesday, all the stakeholders agreed to the Metro project. The final Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) incorporating the suggestions of the stakeholders will now be sent to the Center for approval within a week. 

Panchkula extension to be included in Phase-I 

Haryana Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (HMRTC) director suggested that the corridor from Shaheed Udham Singh Chowk (ISBT Panchkula) to Panchkula extension be included in Phase-I instead of Phase-II. He also suggested modifying the MRTS corridor to connect Sector-20 Panchkula.

The report will be sent to the Center in a week

Dharampal, advisor to the UT Administrator, directed RITES (Rail India Technical and Economic Services) to incorporate the suggestions of Punjab and Haryana in the final report. The final CMP report submitted by RITES on Wednesday was unanimously approved by all the stakeholders with these suggestions. The revised report will now be submitted by the Government of India within a week for further approval. The meeting was attended by senior officials from Punjab, Haryana, Civil Aviation, Air Force Authority, Railway Authority and all other stakeholders.

RITES instructed to make DPR 

Dharampal also directed RITES to start work on preparation of Alternative Analysis Report (AAR) and Detailed Project Report (DPR) for MRTS in Chandigarh Tricity. RITES Company made a detailed presentation on all aspects of CMP on the occasion. It included approach and objectives of the study, existing traffic scenario of the city, problems and issues, short, medium and long term plans and proposals, citywide integrated multi-modal transport plan, institutional strengthening, comprehensive cost estimation etc.

Metro will run in two phases, Rs 7680 crore will be spent 

Metro in Tricity in two phases and all other works to be completed in three phases. The total expenditure of Metro is proposed to be Rs 7680 crore. After Haryana's suggestion, there is a possibility of increasing many metro stations. This will also increase the cost of the metro project. However, implementing all the suggestions of RITES would cost the central government, Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana around Rs 10,570 crore. In this, 60 percent money will be given by the Center and 40 percent by Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana.  

Pinjore-Kalka will connect with Chandigarh and Zirakpur 

Regarding the metro station, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal had recently suggested to connect Pinjore-Kalka with Chandigarh and Zirakpur. Apart from this, Haryana has demanded to include it in the first phase. This suggestion has been included in the meeting held in Chandigarh on Wednesday. In this, it was suggested to connect important places like Punjab-Haryana Secretariat, Assembly, High Court, Airport in the first phase. At the same time, it has also been suggested to make a route from Housing Board Chowk to Punjab University and PGI, as thousands of people go to PGI daily for their work. Apart from this, it was suggested to include the Ghaggar river and new Panchkula areas in the expansion of the metro and to make an alternate route of the metro to improve the connectivity of the airport.

18 km track will be laid from Grain Market Chowk to Panchkula ISBT 

According to the report of rights, it has been said to run the Metro in two phases. In Phase-I, it is proposed to lay a track of about 18 kilometers from Grain Market Chowk of Sector-26 to Panchkula ISBT (Budhanpur Chowk). After this there will be a 20 kilometer track from ISBT-Sector 43 ISBT to Zirakpur. After this, the second phase will start, in which the metro will run from ISBT Panchkula to Panchkula Extension for a distance of four and a half km. Then the metro will go from Airport Chowk to village Saneta.  

Apart from junction improvement, brainstorming on buying new bus and multilevel parking 

RITES has given several suggestions for short, medium and long term in its report. Five years have been given to implement the short term suggestions. It has made several suggestions such as improvement of existing intersections and junctions, high density bus corridors, purchase of new buses, improvement of bus terminals, provision of multilevel parking lots, schemes for non-motorized transport (NMT), provision of cycle tracks, improvement of footpaths . It has also been told where these reforms are needed.

Suggestion of metro and new link road

RITES has suggested completion of major projects in Chandigarh including Mohali and Panchkula in the medium term and long term. For this, a target has been set for the year 2037 and till the year 2052. In this, it has been said to complete many works including Mass Rapid Transit Corridor System i.e. Metro, dedicated bus corridor, bus terminal and depot, construction of new link roads, parking facilities. The maximum expenditure is going to come in this plan. The suggestions of Haryana and Punjab stakeholders were also included in this plan in Wednesday's meeting.  

The suggestions of Punjab and Haryana states regarding MRTS in tricity have been included with some modifications. This report will be sent to the Center within a week for further approval. Apart from this, RITES has also been directed to prepare the AAR i.e. Alternative Analysis Report and prepare the DPR of the project at the earliest. 

Source: Amar Ujala