Chandigarh, April 14: Chandigarh Member of Parliament Manish Tewari asserted on Tuesday that the proposed Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS) for Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula, and New Chandigarh is essential for the region’s financial evolution. Tewari maintained that the project serves as more than a transport link, describing it as a “mercantile multiplier” capable of activating the economic and creative strengths of the four interconnected cities.
The MP dismissed concerns that a Metro network would lead to Chandigarh being overwhelmed by regional migration. Instead, he noted that current economic trends show growth shifting toward the city’s periphery. Tewari stated that in the coming years, Chandigarh residents will likely commute to neighboring hubs for employment rather than the other way around.
“The Metro project can transform these four cities into a Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill like Research Triangle region as it is in North Carolina in the United States,” Tewari declared. He pointed out that with the western border closed and limited heavy industry in the area, the project offers a unique path toward a high-tech service and research economy.
Addressing the logistical challenges facing the Union Territory, the MP questioned the future of regional mobility. He noted that given the severe traffic congestion reported in 2026, the situation could become untenable by 2036 without a robust transit intervention.
Tewari called upon the governments of Punjab and Haryana to back their claims over the capital with financial investment. He affirmed that both states, along with the Chandigarh Administration, should provide the necessary funding to integrate the “Quad Cities” into a seamless metropolitan zone. He maintained that RITES has already confirmed the feasibility of the project in two separate reports.
