DMRC signs MoU with Bihar Government for Patna Metro Rail project

Patna (Urban Transport News): The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Undertaking (MoU) with the Bihar government for the execution of Patna Metro rail project in the capital city. The MoU signed between Dr. Mangu Singh, Managing Director, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and Chaitanya Prasad, Principal Secretary, Urban development and housing department (UDHD), on behalf of Patna Metro Rail Corporation Limited (PMRCL), in the presence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Housing & Urban Development Minister Suresh Kumar Sharma and other dignitaries including officials from Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had already completed the initial survey of the proposed metro corridors in Patna Metro Rail project. Speaking to the press reporters, Chaitanya Prasad said,

Now many more such surveys and soil testing works will be done by the DMRC, which is being paid Rs482.9 crore as consultation fee for the entire project. Initially, Rs24 crore will be paid to them.

DMRC Managing Director, Dr. Mangu Singh said,

The agreement has been signed for five years and the first corridor will be constructed on a priority basis.

Sources said that construction work will start first on the north-south corridor covering Patna Junction, Dak Bungalow roundabout, Gandhi Maidan, Ashok Rajpath, Rajendra Nagar Terminal and the proposed interstate bus terminal. Sanjay Kumar, Principal Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat Department, said,

It is expected that the construction work of Patna Metro will begin by the end of this year by completing the tendering process. The Patna metro rail envisages two corridors in the first phase. The entire metro project in the first phase will be completed within five years.

According to MoU signed between both parties, the state government has fixed September 2024 as the deadline to complete the phase I of Patna Metro rail project, which is to be executed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on deposit terms. On September 3, Bihar Cabinet has accorded its approval to appoint DMRC as the consultant for the Patna Metro Rail project and tenders will be floated soon to hire a contractor for the construction work. Bids for carrying out of geotechnical and utility investigation works for the first phase of Patna Metro Rail project is already floated.

The estimated cost of 31.39 km long (comprising two corridors) Patna Metro rail project is Rs.13,365.77 crore. First corridor (east-west line) will be 16.94 km-long and connect Danapur to Meethapur via Patna Junction while the second corridor (north-south line) will be 14.45 km-long is proposed to connect Patna Railway Junction to ISBT via Dak Bungalow, Gandhi Maidan, Ashok Rajpath, Rajendra Nagar Terminal. Patna Metro rail project will be environment-friendly and solar panels will be used on the roof of its depots and metro stations.

The Bihar government will set up an empowered committee under the chairmanship of chief secretary, UDHD to monitor the project and review mechanism at Patna Metro Rail Corporation Limited (PMRC) level for addressing any problems during the execution of the Patna Metro Rail project. The company may appoint independent quality and safety inspectors to monitors for the project work.