By Firdous Hassan
Srinagar, Jun 22: The one and a half year-old proposal to provide the twin capitals of the state with metro trains has seen no headway.
Under the Mass Rapid Transport, the cities of Jammu and Srinagar were to get the metro train services at a tentative capital cost of Rs 15,881 crore.
While Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared and preliminary studies conducted by a firm engaged by the government last year, the project seems to be going nowhere.
As per the official sources, in August last year the firm submitted its Draft Plan to the Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) for 30 kilometre-route and 45-kilometre route in Jammu and Srinagar, respectively.
“However, no further step was taken in this regard,” a source said.
They said no formal approval has been given to the nodal agency for staring the project.
“After the submission of the Draft Plan by the firm, there was a need to conduct more studies under new Metro Policy of Government of India-2017. But no approval has come from the government to the nodal agency yet.”
Chief Executing Officer ERA, Farooq Ahmad Lone, said the project needed a few more studies before execution.
“We have asked the firm to conduct another survey, after which the project may be executed,” he said.
The proposed routes for Mass Rapid Transport System in winter capital are Bantalab to Bus Stand with 7 stations, Nagbani to Bus Stand with 4 stations and Bari Brahmana to Bus Stand with 7 stations.
In Srinagar city, the tentative routes suggested in the City Mobility Plan are from Nowgam Railway Station to SKIMS via Bagh-e-Mehtab, Rambagh, Jawahar Nagar, Secretariat, Barbarshah, Nowhatta, Hawal, Alamgari Bazar and Pantha Chowk to Shalteng via Lasjan, Badami Bagh, Lal Chowk, Civil Secretariat, Tatoo Ground and Bemina.
Metro Rail is an efficient public transport in terms of energy consumption which runs 15 meters below the ground or 15 meters upper the ground at a speed of 34 kilometres per hour with 20 seconds stoppage at each station.
The service is seen as an alternative to combat the traffic mess due to congested roads within both the cities of the state.
