Patna: The long wait for metro services in Patna is nearing its end, as the Patna Metro Rail Corporation (PMRC) prepares to roll out the first phase of operations from New ISBT to Bhootnath Road.
The metro will operate daily from 8 am to 10 pm, with trains available every 20 minutes, making 40 to 42 trips a day. The fare has been fixed at Rs 15 from New ISBT to Zero Mile and Rs 30 for the full stretch to Bhootnath Road.
Each three-coach metro will carry up to 1,092 passengers — 147 seated and 945 standing — with 12 reserved seats in every coach for women and persons with disabilities. Facilities will include mobile and laptop charging points, air-conditioning, automatic doors, and real-time announcements about the next station.
Safety features include CCTV cameras linked to panic buttons near each door. Pressing the button will instantly direct the camera to the concerned passenger and alert metro staff for immediate response.
The first corridor, fully elevated, will cover New ISBT, Zero Mile and Bhootnath Road stations. The Patna Metro, with an estimated cost of Rs 13,925.5 crore funded by JICA, the central and state governments, will eventually have two lines — the 16.86 km Red Line and the 14.56 km Blue Line — with 24 stations.
The complete rollout of the first phase is expected by 2027, with metro stations equipped with escalators, lifts, retail stalls, digital ticketing and special provisions for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
