Patna: Once infamous for its congested streets and chaotic approach roads, Patna Junction has entered a new era with the inauguration of Bihar’s first smart subway and multi-modal transport hub. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar unveiled the ambitious project on Saturday morning, offering the capital city not just a long-awaited traffic solution but also a modern, commuter-friendly gateway.
The transformation has been years in the making. For decades, traffic around the GPO Golambar and Patna Junction Golambar — particularly through the New Market area — has been a nightmare during peak hours. With no structured parking, makeshift bus stands, and auto-rickshaw chaos clogging the roads, even reaching the station had become an ordeal. That, however, is set to change.
Built by Patna Smart City Limited, the Rs 85 crore project includes a 440-metre-long underground tunnel, integrated with a multi-modal hub featuring a three-storey parking facility, commercial zones, and commuter lounges. While the infrastructure was inaugurated on Saturday, it will open to the public from May 18.
According to Mohd. Shamsad, CEO of Patna Smart City Limited, the multi-modal hub is designed as a G+3 structure, offering parking for 32 electric buses on the ground floor and 225 cars across the upper levels. Bike parking is also in the pipeline through a proposed rotary facility.
But the hub is more than a parking lot. It features air-conditioned waiting lounges, restaurants, ATMs, shops, and dedicated washrooms — all under one roof. Security has been prioritised with CCTV coverage, boom barriers at each of the eight entry and exit gates, and a centralised fire safety system.
What makes the project a true game-changer, however, is the smart subway— a climate-controlled underpass equipped with 148 metres of travelators, allowing passengers to glide effortlessly between Patna Junction and GPO Golambar. Alongside travelators, the subway has two lifts, two escalators, digital display boards, and an integrated sound system providing route information to commuters.
The subway has been connected to multiple key city landmarks, including Mahavir Temple and Buddha Smriti Park, with an entry point planned to link with the upcoming metro station.
With separate entry and exit points strategically placed, the new facility aims to declutter the area while offering passengers a seamless transit experience. Passengers can now walk from GPO Golambar to Patna Junction or Mahavir Temple in comfort, bypassing the traffic snarls above.
Local commuters and shopkeepers are hopeful the infrastructure will also bring order to the area’s notorious parking woes, streamlining traffic movement and reducing the risk of accidents.
Whether the ambitious project will live up to its promise of transforming Patna’s urban mobility remains to be seen — but for now, residents are welcoming it as a breath of fresh air in a city long plagued by gridlock.
