Metro project: Chandigarh to involve Punjab, Haryana in preparation of DPR
A meeting was held on Wednesday, chaired by UT adviser Dharam Pal, to discuss the way forward in preparing a Comprehensive Mobility Plan for the Tri-City. The RITES Ltd. team presented the policies, guidelines, and procedures for planning the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) in accordance with the Metro Rail Policy issued by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
Two weeks after the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs gave a green signal to the Tricity metro project, the UT administration decided on Wednesday to involve all stakeholders, including Punjab and Haryana, in the preparation of the Alternative Analysis Report (AAR) and Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Metro Rail, following the guidelines of the Government of India.
A meeting was held on Wednesday, chaired by UT adviser Dharam Pal, to discuss the way forward in preparing a Comprehensive Mobility Plan for the Tri-City. The RITES Ltd. team presented the policies, guidelines, and procedures for planning the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) in accordance with the Metro Rail Policy issued by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
The Alternative Analysis Report (AAR) will determine the best alternative mode to meet the transportation demand on major travel corridors, including Metro, Metrolite, or MetroNeo. Similarly, the detailed project report (DPR) will be prepared for the approval of the project by the Government of India and will include the planning, design, cost estimates, financials, institutional arrangements, and implementation plan for the recommended MRTS mode.
Clearing the way for a Metro/Metrolite network in the Tricity after over a decade, the governments of Punjab and Haryana, along with the UT Administration, unanimously approved the final Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) report submitted by RITES Ltd. with minor changes in April this year. The RITES presentation covered all aspects of the CMP, including the vision and objectives of the study, the existing traffic scenario, problems and issues, short-term (five years), medium-term (10 years), and long-term (20 years) plans and proposals, citywide integrated multi-modal transport plan, institutional strengthening, broad cost estimates, and the way forward.
RITES has proposed developing the MRTS in two phases. The first phase, scheduled between 2027 and 2037, includes the MRTS routes from Sarangpur to ISBT Panchkula (18 km), Rock Garden to ISBT Zirakpur via Industrial Area and Chandigarh Airport (35 km), and Grain Market Chowk to Transport Chowk, Sector 26 (13 km). In the second phase, planned beyond 2037, the MRTS routes will cover ISBT Panchkula to Panchkula Extension (4.5 km), Paroul (New Chandigarh) to Sarangpur (5.5 km), Airport Chowk to Manakpur Kallar (5 km), and ISBT Zirakpur to Pinjore (20 km).