Chandigarh: Standing committee to discuss Metro project in a meet on Sept 15
The discussion will address the city’s growing traffic congestion, and will deliberate on parking arrangements, incentive policies, road signage, zebra crossings, e-vehicles, and charging infrastructure
The UT’s Advisory Council’s Standing Committee on Transport will hold a discussion on the possibilities of the Metro project in Chandigarh during a meeting scheduled for September 15.
The meeting will be chaired by Aam Aadmi Party’s state president Vijapal Singh. The discussion will address the city’s growing traffic congestion, and will deliberate on parking arrangements, incentive policies, road signage, zebra crossings, e-vehicles, and charging infrastructure.
Vijaypal Singh, committee chairman, said that this would be his first meeting since the formation of the Standing Committee on Transport. The session will begin with a discussion on the minutes of the previous meeting, followed by an in-depth review of traffic congestion. “The traffic situation in Chandigarh is worsening day by day. A permanent solution must be found,” he said.
Officials from the UT administration and municipal corporation (MC) will attend the meeting to chalk out an implementation roadmap. Senior lawyer Chetan Mittal, Laghu Udyog Bharti representative Rakesh Ratan Aggarwal, Transport Association’s Jasbir Singh Gill, and FICCI president Rakesh Bhalla are also expected to attend this meeting.
MP Tewari demands a clear decision on Metro project
Meanwhile, Congress MP Manish Tewari has urged the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana, along with the Chandigarh administrator, to convene a decisive meeting on the Metro project. He said despite repeated discussions and reports, there has been no clarity on whether the Metro will be approved. “It is time to take a yes-or-no decision,” he asserted, pointing out that the project’s detailed project report (DPR) has still not been submitted to the Union government.
Expert committee already reviewed feasibility of the project
Earlier, in January and February, an expert committee had already reviewed the feasibility of the Metro. Senior officials from Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh participated, while RITES presented its report. However, officers sought additional details, including comparative analysis of traffic patterns in other cities, projected passenger numbers, and cost estimates.
UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria has also questioned the economic viability of the Metro and directed that a comparative study of ridership projections and estimated expenditure be carried out. The expert committee was constituted for this purpose.
