[sustran] Public opinion to be sought on proposed metro rail plan

[Vinay Baindur]

metro in Banaras/ Varanasi?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/Public-opinion-to-be-sought-on-proposed-metro-rail-plan/articleshow/19391611.cms
*Public opinion to be sought on proposed metro rail plan*
Rajeev Dixit, TNN | Apr 5, 2013, 04.07 AM IST





VARANASI: Previous efforts of introducing metro rail service in the city
failed to impress the sanctioning authorities. But the proposals made in
the new masterplan-2031 for the city clearly that the town and country
planners still see a need for metro rail service here.

The proposals made under comprehensive mobility plan of Varanasi
Masterplan-2031 had been approved by a state-level committee as well as
Varanasi Development Authority board and will be made public to seek
suggestions and objections from citizens between April 25 and May 25. The
town and country planning department has proposed metro rail on four routes
in the expanded city limits. VDA vice-chairman VK Singh admitted that such
proposal have been mentioned in the new masterplan.

Under this proposal, one underground metro line has been proposed between
Cantonment railway station and Lanka. An elevated metro line is proposed
between Cantonment railway station and Sarnath. Another elevated metro line
is proposed between DLW and Mughalsarai via Cantonment and City railway
stations. One more elevated metro line is proposed between Kutchehri and
Babatpur via Shivpur. The proposal for creation of six big parking sites
has also been made in the new masterplan.

This is not the first occasion when dream for bringing metro line in the
city has been seen. Before the beginning of process of making new
masterplan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had visited the city in March
2008 when he sought a proposal to develop modern transport system here.
After the PM's visit, joint secretary and mission director of Jawaharlal
Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) issued directives for
preparing a proposal on development of transport system.

The VDA engaged a Gurgaon-based company to prepare a comprehensive mobility
plan in 2009. Under this plan, the proposals for an underground rail
transit between Lanka and Sarnath via Cantt Railway Station and light
elevated rail transit between DLW and Mughalsarai and from Kuchehri to
Babatpur were made. However, it could not materialise.

Before it, in March 2008 representative of all the major cities having the
status of metropolitan cities had been called at Lucknow to present
proposals on metro rail in the presence of Delhi Metro authorities and top
officials of the state government. During that meeting, the VDA had given
presentation to create the infrastructure of underground metro rail on two
routes in Varanasi, including one between Mohansarai by-pass and Sarnath
via Hurdattpur, DLW, Dashaswamedh, Machhodari Park, City Railway station,
Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Pandeypur, Pahadia and Ashapur and other
between Babatpur airport and birthplace of Sant Ravidas via Shivpur,
Kutchehri, Cantt. railway station, Sigra, Rathyatra, Bhelupur, Sankat
Mochan and Lanka crossing. However, no attention was paid towards these
proposals of VDA by any agency or government.

These proposals were made despite the fact that many other proposals made
by VDA for bringing metro rail service here had already been rejected at
initial stage as the feasibility could not be proved in past.