Patna: The Patna Metro project is progressing rapidly, with trial runs successfully completed on the Bhootnath-Malahi Pakri stretch. Construction has picked up pace on the elevated corridor from Khemnichak to Mithapur, where installation of pier girders is currently underway at the Mithapur Metro station site.Officials of the Patna Metro Rail Corporation Limited (PMRC) said the girders will be assembled to form a continuous deck, after which metro tracks, sleepers, electrical systems, signalling infrastructure and safety barriers will be installed. The corridor will connect key stations such as Jaganpura, Ramkrishna Nagar and Mithapur, benefiting students and daily commuters, they said.Spokesperson of PMRC, Archana Khushi, said: “Construction is progressing rapidly across most sections of the project, with work at Malahi Pakri being taken up on priority. We are waiting for no-objection certificate (NOC) from the fire department. Girders are being installed on the piers at the Mithapur Metro station site and are being connected to form a continuous deck.”The structure near Mithapur was already completed earlier. Now, a long elevated track is being constructed by joining segments. After that, metro tracks, sleepers and power lines will be installed, she said.Along with this, signalling systems and safety barriers will be installed. Sharp curves have been constructed at several points along the route, making the work particularly challenging from an engineering perspective, said the officials. Once completed, the corridor will enable direct travel from Khemnichak to key stations such as Jaganpura, Ramkrishna Nagar and Mithapur, allowing passengers to board and alight at these points, they said.Mithapur Metro Station will prove to be a lifeline for the city’s new education hub. This area has more than half a dozen colleges, including NIFT, Aryabhatt Knowledge University, Chandragupta Institute of Management and Planning (CIMP) and Chanakya Law University.There will be facilities like banks, ATMs and other civic amenities near Mithapur Metro Station for passengers. After Mithapur, the metro route will go underground, from where connectivity to Patna Junction will be available.After receiving NOC from the Railways, a tunnel will be constructed beneath Rajendra Nagar Terminal. This tunnel will run from Moinul Haq Stadium through Rajendra Nagar to Malahi Pakri. The target is to complete the construction of the 6km tunnel from Moinul Haq Stadium to Patna Junction is May.Around 1km of tunnel excavation between PMCH and Gandhi Maidan is still pending. Tunnel construction is currently underway beyond Akashwani station. Work on the elevated corridor from Danapur to Patliputra Junction is also in progress. Meanwhile, utility shifting work from Patliputra Junction to Patna Junction is set to begin soon.
