RailEnquiry

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.