The Nitish government has announced the extension of metro rail services to four additional cities in Bihar, modeled after the Patna Metro Rail. These cities—Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Darbhanga, and Bhagalpur—will see the introduction of metro rail to streamline urban transportation. The approval came during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday, where 22 proposals were sanctioned, including the metro rail for these cities and the establishment of sports clubs in all municipal and village panchayats.
Next Steps After Cabinet Approval
Cabinet Department Additional Chief Secretary Dr. S. Siddharth stated that the cabinet has granted in-principle approval for metro rail operations in Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Darbhanga, and Bhagalpur. Following this approval, feasibility reports for the metro rail in these cities will be prepared, which will be followed by the creation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs). An agency will be appointed to undertake the preparation of these reports.
Funding Provisions and Loan Arrangements
Dr. Siddharth outlined the financial provisions for the metro rail projects. A Metro Rail Corporation will be formed for each of the four cities. The funding will be structured with 20% provided by the central government, 20% by the state government, and the remaining 60% through loans from various financial institutions. The Metro Rail Corporation will handle the loan arrangements, with guarantees provided by the governments.
Initiating the Feasibility Report
Dr. Siddharth mentioned that the financial funding for the Patna Metro Rail Corporation was facilitated by JICA. Similarly, the four new Metro Rail Corporations will secure loans from various financial institutions. With the cabinet’s approval, the process of preparing feasibility reports for these cities can now commence.
Deputy Chief Minister’s Statement
Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary expressed that the cabinet’s in-principle approval for metro rail in Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Darbhanga, and Bhagalpur will spur development and alleviate traffic congestion in these cities. He noted that the increasing population in these cities has exacerbated traffic issues. With the Patna Metro construction progressing rapidly, the addition of metro services in these four cities will extend metro rail operations to five cities in the state.
