Patna: Patna’s long-awaited metro project is gaining momentum, with officials working rapidly to meet the government’s promise of delivering a functional service by August 15. Over the weekend, three metro rakes arrived from Pune and were successfully placed on the tracks at the Bairia Metro Depot, marking a significant milestone in the development of the city’s first metro system.
The initial phase of the Patna Metro, part of the priority corridor, is slated to run from Bairia to Malahi Pakadi. Construction on this stretch is progressing swiftly. If all goes according to plan, the trial run could take place by the end of July.
Meanwhile, progress has also been made on the electrification front. A hearing regarding the provision of subsidised electricity for the metro was recently concluded by the Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission. Officials from the South Bihar Power Distribution Company and Patna Metro appeared before the commission on Tuesday to present their case.
Metro authorities argued that, unlike the railways and industries, which offset losses through freight services or product pricing, the metro system has no such recourse. They urged the commission to consider metro operations a public interest service and to allow power tariffs on par with those provided to the railways and industry.
The commission has reserved its decision and is expected to announce a verdict by next month.
In the first operational phase, the metro will connect Malahi Pakadi to Bhootnath, Zeromile and the Patliputra Bus Terminal, spanning a total length of 6.5 kilometres. The train services are planned to run from 5am to 11pm and will be operated by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for an initial period of three years.
