Delhi Metro Rail Corp to study project for 3 Punjab cities

Chandigarh, Aug 13 (UNI) The Metro Rail Project for three major cities in Punjab moved a step closer to realisation with the Delhi Metro Railway Corporation Ltd (DMRC) agreeing to conduct a detailed study for this project.

The Punjab government proposes to start this service in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar.

The work on the project likely to start within a year. The basic data has already been provided by the Railway Institute of Technology and Engineering Services.

A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting between the DMRC Managing Director Dr E Shreedharan and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) working president and Faridkot MP, Sukhbir Singh Badal in New Delhi today.

A team of DMRC experts would conduct a survey within 4 to 6 months for Ludhiana. The DMRC would send a proposal in this regard for the approval of the state government in the next few days.

Giving details of this project Mr Shreedharan said that Ludhiana metro rail alone would have a daily capacity of 4.8 lakh passengers. He said that the project would cost Rs 80 to 90 crore per KM. An underground metro would be constructed to cover the old city section.

While advocating the need for establishing metro rail in Ludhiana, Mr Badal said that the hub of Indian hosiery Ludhiana was today facing great hardships due to traffic congestion and inadequate road network. He also informed that despite having a good connectivity by road, rail and air, Ludhiana needed the metro rail to avoid ever increasing air pollution in the city.

Mr Badal also said that Metro Rail would also help in decreasing the congestion in Amritsar a holy city having population of 10,11,327 as per a study conducted in 2001.

He said that the metro rail system could also facilitate the pilgrims visiting the city in a large number daily.

MP from Ludhiana S S Dhillon, Principal Secretary to Local Bodies D S Bains, Special Principal Principal Secretary to Chief Minister S S Sandhu were also present in the meeting.

UNI