Patna: Construction of charging points along the banks of the Ganga has begun in Patna as part of preparations for the city’s upcoming water metro service. The charging infrastructure will power the engines of electric boats operating on the route. The first phase of the project will cover a 10.5km stretch, with Gandhi Ghat and Gaighat serving as the main stops.
According to the state tourism department, work on the first charging station has already started at Gandhi Ghat, while additional facilities will soon be built at Kangan Ghat and Digha Ghat. These charging points will allow water metro vessels to recharge during operations, making the service more efficient and sustainable.
The first water metro route will run between Digha Ghat and Kangan Ghat, passing through several key riverfront locations including Gaighat, Gandhi Ghat, Farakka Mahto Ghat, Nariyal Ghat, Panapur, Konhara Ghat, Kali Ghat in Sonepur and Chhechar Ghat. In its initial phase, the service will primarily operate between Gandhi Ghat and Gaighat, while future phases plan to extend the network to Hajipur and Sonepur.
Officials from the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation said the project is designed to expand to four routes with around 10 terminals in the coming years. The expansion is expected to connect Patna with nearby districts such as Vaishali and Chhapra, strengthening the National Waterway-1 corridor along the Ganga while offering residents a cheaper and alternative mode of urban transport.
The vessel chosen for the service is named “MV Gomdhar Kunwar”, with a cost of more than Rs 12 crore. The overall Patna Water Metro project is estimated at around Rs 908 crore and is being implemented jointly by the Inland Waterways Authority of India and the Bihar government, with technical assistance from engineers at Cochin Shipyard.
