Patna, Mar 9 (PTI) A ULTraPOD Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system will be constructed at a cost of Rs 296 crore to improve connectivity among major government and administrative buildings in Patna, officials said on Monday.
The ULTraPOD (urban light transit pod) is an automated transit network that aims to provide seamless connectivity on a designated route.
According to a statement by the cabinet secretariat department of the Bihar government, Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit held a key meeting with a team from Larsen & Toubro (L&T), which made a detailed presentation on the proposed system.
“The project will cost around Rs 296 crore, and the ULTraPOD track will stretch nearly 5 km, starting from Visvesvaraya Bhawan, passing through Vikas Bhawan and the Legislative Assembly building, and finally reaching the old Secretariat,” it added.
The department aims to complete the construction of the ULTraPODs PRT within 15 months of administrative approval.
As part of the PRT system, the pods will operate without unscheduled halts and carry passengers directly to their destination stations, officials said.
“Under the plan, 59 pods will operate along the track, with each pod accommodating up to six passengers. Pods will be available at stations at an interval of seven seconds,” the statement read.
In the initial phase, nine stations will be constructed, two of which will include parking facilities.
The project will also include the establishment of a control room and a dedicated ULTraPOD parking facility, it added.
Officials said the transit network will be “environment-friendly” and “carbon-positive”, and no trees will be cut during construction of the tracks.
Furthermore, the transit system aims to reduce the use of motor vehicles for official movement, which will help in lowering emissions and ease congestion in the administrative area, particularly during peak office hours in the morning and evening, they added.
According to the statement, the fare for the service will be kept nominal, and passengers will be able to use the system through tokens or rechargeable cards.
The initiative, officials said, aligns with the GoI’s vision of “smart, sustainable and integrated mobility.” PTI SUK MNB
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