Patna: Patna will soon have its own water metro service as part of a landmark initiative to develop eco-friendly urban transport and boost tourism. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Saturday in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, between the Department of Tourism, Government of Bihar, and the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
The project, with an estimated cost of Rs 908 crore, will deploy state-of-the-art hybrid electric catamaran vessels, including the MV Nishadraj. Designed to run in both battery and hybrid modes, the vessels will ensure zero carbon emissions and have the capacity to carry around 100 passengers, including wheelchair users. Fully air-conditioned interiors and modern amenities are also promised.
At the signing ceremony, attended by Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Mansukh Mandaviya, the MoU was formalised by IWAI chairman Sunil Kumar Singh and Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation managing director Nand Kishore. Bihar tourism minister Raju Kumar Singh called it a “major milestone” that would provide Patna with a smart, safe and sustainable water transport system.
Tourism secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh said the metro service would initially operate between Digha Ghat and Kangan Ghat, with stops at NIT Ghat and Gaighat. A trial run is expected soon, with ten additional locations to be identified later.
The water metro is expected to ease urban congestion, cut pollution and reduce travel time across the city. It will also give a fillip to water-based tourism in the capital, which is one of 18 Indian cities selected for the modernisation of urban waterways.
