Patna to be developed as Metropolitan city by 2021

Patna, Mar 16 (UNI) Patna will be developed as a world class city with satellite towns, high-rise buildings, expressways and wetlands on the lines of metropolitan cities by 2021.

Making a powerpoint presentation on the final Master Plan of the city here yesterday, Deputy Director (Architecture and Planning) of the State Urban Development Department A K Rai said Patna of today (140 square km) will be developed into a metropolitan city spread over 330 square km.

A new township of ''Greater Patna'', bound by 200 feet and 120 feet expressways on the four sides with cluster of high-rise buildings, following all the norms of disaster management, on the south and west of the Bypass road, from Fatuha to Bihta, will also be developed.

He maintained that another 15 square km township-cum-commercial hub, housing mainly the IT sector, would be developed on the new land made available by the receding Ganga from Rajapur Pool to Digha Ghat. A feasibility report is expected to be completed by September 2008, Mr Rai informed.

Highlighting the salient features of the Master Plan, he said the city will have its own Mass Rapid Transportation System (MRTS) inspired by Delhi Metro Railway, Marine Drive alongside Ganga river like the one in Mumbai, flyovers at Exhibition road Dakbunglow Chauraha Income Tax Golambar and Boring Canal road on the lines of flyovers in Kolkata to avoid traffic snarls and Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the overhauling of drainage to avoid water logging in low lying areas during inclement weather.

The DPR would be sent to the Centre by June 2008 for fund allocations under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission (JNNURM), he said.

The Deputy Director also added that the motto of the Master Plan was not to change or alter the infrastructure of the city by demolition drive but to shape the city by converting it into planned development areas as per the norms of the Community Development Programme (CDP) by providing better infrastructure to the denizens like proper sanitation, urban drainage management, multi-storied parking lot in commercial hubs, for beautification of the state capital.

''The Master Plan is a micro-level vision document to shape the growing structure of the city with the optimum utility of the funds sanctioned by the government for urban development,'' Mr Rai maintained.

He also elaborated on the features in the Master Plan to solve the problem of waterlogging by developing lagoons and wetlands alongside low-lying areas and constructing powerful pumping stations to drain out the water through centralised mechanical means.

Mr Rai further added the wetlands and lagoons could be used for commercial recreation and farmlands to develop a green land on the outskirts making the state capital eco-friendly.

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