Patna: Patna’s long-delayed metro project has received a key administrative clearance from Indian Railways, allowing tunnelling work beneath Rajendra Nagar to resume from March 12, officials said.
The no objection certificate (NOC) clears the way for excavation between Moinul Haque Stadium and Rajendra Nagar Terminal, a critical section of Corridor-2 of the Patna Metro network. Construction had been stalled since December 2025 due to the absence of railway permission.
Authorities said the upcoming work will focus on an approximately 800-metre stretch that forms part of a larger 1.8km tunnel planned between Moinul Haque Stadium and Rajendra Nagar Terminal, before the Malahi Pakadi metro station. Work on the project had progressed steadily until excavation near the railway line required formal clearance.
Two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) have already been deployed for the project and will be used to carry out the underground excavation. With the railway clearance now in place, tunnelling operations are expected to restart after nearly three months of inactivity.
The planned tunnel will begin near Moinul Haque Stadium and pass beneath the busy Patna–Howrah main railway line before continuing under the Rajendra Nagar railway terminal. It will then reach the Rajendra Nagar metro station being constructed along the Kankarbagh Old Bypass. Tunnelling beneath active railway infrastructure is considered technically complex, and officials said the railways granted approval only after reviewing detailed safety and engineering assessments.
Railway authorities also examined the potential impact of the metro tunnel on future development plans for Rajendra Nagar Terminal before issuing the NOC, ensuring that the metro alignment would not interfere with long-term railway expansion.
Several sections of Corridor-2 have already seen significant progress. An underground tunnel measuring about 1,480 metres between Moinul Haque Stadium and Patna University has been completed, while another 1,450-metre stretch connecting Gandhi Maidan, Akashvani and Patna Junction is also finished.
Rajendra Nagar metro station is expected to become the deepest station on the Patna Metro network. The station will be built around 21 metres below ground level to accommodate the existing railway track above it. Officials said the station will also provide direct connectivity to Rajendra Nagar railway terminal, allowing passengers to transfer easily between train and metro services.
Patna Junction metro station is being developed as a major interchange hub where the Red Line and Blue Line will meet. Once operational, the network is expected to improve connectivity across the city, making travel between Danapur, Khemnichak and the New ISBT faster and more convenient.
Authorities say the completion of the Patna Metro is likely to significantly reshape the city’s transport system and reduce traffic congestion in the state capital.
