HA&UD Ministry may clear proposal shortly
Series of meetings held between Ministry, JK officials
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 10: The Union Ministry for Housing Affairs and Urban Development is likely to approve shortly the proposals for MetroLite for Jammu and Srinagar cities after reviewing them several times and getting revised plan from the Union Territory administration. The UT officials have held a couple of meetings with their counterparts in the HA&UD Ministry to give final touch to the proposal.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Metro line like New Delhi hasn’t been found feasible for Jammu and Srinagar cities because of various factors including congested roads, commercial and residential establishments all along the route where Metro is proposed to be run in twin cities and various other factors.
“In view of this, the Union Ministry for Housing Affairs and Urban Development is expected to clear MetroLite for Jammu and Srinagar cities in consultations with Jammu and Kashmir Government,” they said, adding MetroNeo was also under consideration earlier but MetroLite appears to be feasible after various studies, assessment and surveys undertaken by the experts, Ministry officials and the UT administration on the routes proposed for the Metro service.
They said the MetroLite will boost public transport system and economic activities and help commuters in safe and early transportation from one part of the City to the other.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration, as per the sources, has submitted revised proposal to the Union Ministry for Housing Affairs and Urban Development headed by Hardeep Singh Puri.
During his two visits to Jammu last month, Puri had indicated to the BJP leaders about early approval to Metro rail network in Jammu and Srinagar cities.
The Union Ministry, as per the sources, plans to introduce a MetroLite system instead of the regular metro rail system that is functional in cities like Delhi.
The Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of Jammu and Srinagar Metro rail involved a cost of Rs 10, 599 crore including Rs 5,734 crore for Srinagar and Rs 4,825 crore for Jammu.
As per the project, Jammu Light Metro will operate 17 hours a day round the year while Srinagar Light Metro will run 17 hours daily during summers and 14 hours daily for winters.
The metro rail lines will have only elevated corridors as the underground tunnels were not found feasible. The coaches of the MetroLite system will be modern, lightweight and made from stainless steel and aluminium with an air-conditioning system, as per the DPRs.
The Jammu Light Rail System will have a 23-kilometre length with 22 stations between Bantalab and Bari Brahmana whereas Srinagar light rail system will have a 25-kilometre length which includes a 12.5-kilometre length from Indira Nagar to HMT Junction and 12.5-kilometer length from Hazuri Bagh to Osmanabad with 24 stations (12 stations on each corridor).
“Once the project is cleared by the Union Ministry for Housing Affairs and Urban Development in consultations with the Jammu and Kashmir Government it will go to the Union Cabinet for approval. The proposal is high on agenda of Hardeep Puri’s Ministry as it is being regularly being followed by top officials of the J&K administration. The UT BJP leaders had also strongly taken up the proposal with Puri during his two visits here in the month of June,” the sources said.
They added that if everything goes well, the Centre might clear MetroLite for Jammu and Srinagar cities within next couple of months. The proposal, it may be mentioned, has to be finally approved by the Union Cabinet to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after it is sent for approval by Hardeep Puri’s Ministry.
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