People struggling with daily traffic snarls in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, have some good news coming their way. The city, known for its education institutions and the Sangam, is finally moving closer to getting a metro rail service that could end the constant jostling in city buses, autos and tempos.
Why Sangam draws such heavy footfall
Sangam in Prayagraj is the point where the Ganga, the Yamuna and the invisible Saraswati river are believed to meet. It is considered an extremely sacred site in Hinduism. It is believed that taking a dip at Sangam washes away a person's sins and brings peace and moksha to the soul. That belief draws huge numbers of devotees from across the country and abroad, which in turn keeps the city's roads clogged with traffic almost round the clock. The government has now stepped up work on a metro project to tackle this exact problem.
DPR to be ready by August 14
Rishiraj, vice chairman of the Prayagraj Development Authority, said the Metro Rail Corporation has given RITES until August 14 to prepare the Detailed Project Report, or DPR, for the metro. Given this deadline, RITES has sped up its work on preparing the DPR. Rishiraj also shared details on how much the metro is expected to cost and what will make this project stand out.
Track construction to begin in August
According to officials, the process of laying the metro track in Prayagraj will begin on August 14. An official from the Development Authority said the metro will be built at a cost of around Rs 12,000 crore, with the total spending eventually crossing Rs 12,000 crore. The metro will run on two routes, one between Phaphamau and Naini, and the other between the Airport and Jhunsi. Both routes will be around 21 kilometres each, which means the first phase proposes to run the metro across a total of 42 kilometres. The official also said the metro's interchange junction has been proposed at the Parade ground near Sangam. With the metro up and running, the traffic jams choking the city's roads are expected to ease considerably.
Metro to cover 45 stations
Officials have also shared several key numbers about the Prayagraj metro project. In the first phase, 26 metro stations will be built between Bamrauli and Jhunsi City Lake. Another 19 metro stations will come up between Shantipuram and Chhivki. Together, the city will get a total of 45 metro stations. Each metro station will have a stoppage of 2 minutes for passengers to board and alight. Officials say the overall route of the Prayagraj metro will run 60 kilometres. Once operational, this metro service is expected to give the people of the Sangam city relief from traffic jams while connecting a large part of the city.
