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Chandigarh: Punjab’s delay in releasing land halts Metro plan in its tracks
For two months, Punjab has failed to take a call on 50 acres in New Chandigarh required for a depot, where inspection and maintenance of Metro coaches will be carried out
UT administration’s plan to initiate work on the ambitious Metro project by April this year is all but delayed, as the Punjab government has yet to give its nod for release of 50 acres in New Chandigarh for construction of a depot.
While UT has been awaiting a decision for months, the Punjab government has now said it will take a call on the matter only after the model code of conduct is lifted after the Lok Sabha elections. Both Punjab and Chandigarh will go to polls on June 1.
According to the Alternative Analysis Report (AAR) prepared by Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES), the Metro project includes a depot for which 50 acres are required in New Chandigarh. Functions such as inspection and maintenance are carried out in Metro depots.
UT home secretary Nitin Yadav said, “We have sent reminders to the Punjab government to clarify their stance on the land required for the construction of the depot, but have not received any reply even after two months. Since the construction of the depot is a critical element of the project, we cannot proceed with the detailed project report (DPR). As a result, the Metro project is delayed.”
A senior officer of the Punjab government, who is dealing with the project but refused to come on record due to the model code of conduct, said in the previous meeting of the 23-member Unified Metro Transportation Authority (UMTA), the Punjab chief secretary had clarified that an approval was needed from the chief minister, which they were yet to obtain. “It will now be done only after the model code of conduct is lifted,” the officer said, adding that the said chunk of land was quite big and its cost was also enormous.
Meanwhile, as an alternative, Haryana has already agreed to construct a depot in Sector 27, Panchkula, and submitted a proposal in this regard to the UT administration.
UT pushing for fully underground Metro network
During a UMTA meeting on December 18, 2023, it was decided to write to the central government to take a final call on whether the Metro project will have an elevated or underground network. The proposal will be sent only after the DPR is ready. Both Punjab and Haryana have already released their contributions for the DPR’s preparation.
While an elevated Metro network will impact Chandigarh’s heritage and aesthetic appeal, the underground tracks will increase the project cost by over 70%. In its meeting on January 5, a Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee (CHCC) sub-panel had stated that the Metro project should be entirely underground. The recommendations of the committee will also be forwarded to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
The Alignment Option Report readied by RITES has listed three corridors as part of Phase 1, crisscrossing through Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula. Among them, the one along Madhya Marg, which falls in Chandigarh’s heritage sectors (1 to 30), will be completely elevated, while the other two will be mostly elevated and partly underground.
Phase 2, planned in Mohali and Panchkula, will also have a mostly elevated network. However, opting for underground corridors is projected to increase the expenditure by nearly ₹8,000 crore, bringing the total project outlay to around ₹19,000 crore.
