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 expedite details to study the project of the metro rail in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar. The work on the project is likely to start within a year and the basic data has already been provided by the Railway Institute of Technology & Engineering Services, spokesman of the state government said.
A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting between the DMRC managing director E Shreedharan and the SAD working president and Faridkot MP Sukhbir Singh Badal in New Delhi on Monday. 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 soon.
Giving details of this project 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 nderground metro would be constructed to cover the old city section.
While advocating a strong need for establishing metro in Ludhiana, Badal said that the hub of Indian hosiery Ludhiana was today facing a great hardship due to traffic congestion and inadequate road network.
He also informed that despite having a good connectivity by road, rail and air, Ludhiana badly needed metro rail to avoid ever increasing air pollution in the city.