Chandigarh, Oct 25: Chandigarh’s new chief secretary, H Rajesh Prasad, has instructed officials to expedite the preparation of the long-delayed Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed Metro network, saying the document will be crucial to determine whether the ambitious transport plan is viable for the city.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Prasad said Chandigarh continues to face persistent issues of traffic congestion and inadequate parking. “While the city is performing well on many fronts, there are specific challenges that require urgent attention,” he noted. The chief secretary also asked the municipal corporation to frame a detailed, citywide parking strategy to address growing space and mobility constraints.
On the Metro proposal, Prasad acknowledged that the absence of a DPR makes it impossible to assess its financial and operational feasibility. “Metro systems are extremely expensive to build and operate,” he said. “We need to carefully evaluate expected ridership and financial sustainability before moving forward.”
The project has remained mired in paperwork for almost a year. In 2023, UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria formed an eight-member committee to study its financial and economic feasibility, but progress has been minimal. Despite three meetings and multiple submissions from Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES), the reports remain pending before the UT administration without follow-up action.
The debate over the Metro’s viability has continued since Union Minister for Power and Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar remarked last November that projected ridership did not justify such a large network. Khattar had then proposed alternatives like pod taxis.
Earlier this year, RITES reaffirmed the project’s economic feasibility in its updated study but was asked to re-examine its ridership estimate of 11.3 lakh passengers per year. The review meeting, chaired by then Haryana additional chief secretary (transport) Ashok Khemka, sought greater accuracy before proceeding further.
In Parliament, the Union housing ministry clarified in April that no DPR for the Chandigarh Tricity Metro had been submitted so far. The proposed network, estimated to cost between ₹25,000 crore and ₹30,000 crore depending on whether it is elevated or underground, continues to await a financial green light.
On October 7, Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari urged Khattar to personally step in and ensure the Chandigarh Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) is approved as a centrally funded project, saying the city’s growing transport needs cannot afford further delay.
