Patna: The Bihar government has stepped up monitoring of the Patna Metro Rail Project, directing officials to ensure faster completion of the remaining stations on the priority corridor while adhering to technical and safety standards.
The review meeting was chaired by Sandeep Kumar R. Pudkalkatti, secretary of the urban development and housing department and managing director of the Patna Metro Rail Corporation Limited (PMRCL). Officials from PMRCL and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) attended the meeting.
The priority corridor comprises five stations — New Pataliputra Bus Terminal (New ISBT), Zero Mile, Bhootnath, Khemnichak and Malahi Pakadi. Pudkalkatti asked the project team to expedite work on the two remaining stations, with particular focus on Khemnichak, where engineers are currently engaged in structural and corrective works aimed at ensuring safety, durability and compliance with prescribed technical standards.
Officials also reviewed the overall status of construction and operational preparedness across the corridor, discussing ways to improve coordination between agencies and maintain project momentum. Work is continuing in other key stretches, including the Bailey Road and Patna Junction areas, which are considered crucial for future expansion.
The Patna Metro’s priority corridor was partially inaugurated in October last year by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The flag-off ceremony was held at the ISBT depot metro station, marking the start of operations on a 4.3km stretch covering New ISBT, Zero Mile and Bhootnath stations. State officials said the emphasis now was on completing the remaining stations within the planned timeframe so that services could be expanded seamlessly.
