Dehradun’s Neo Metro hangs in balance, now work on Pod Taxi
The hope with which the Uttarakhand Metro Rail Corporation was brought to the ground in the year 2016-17 has not been fulfilled even after seven years. Meanwhile, the corporation was made to work on everything from mono rail to cable car and neo metro, but the desire could never be fulfilled.
In January 2022, when the DPR of Rs 1,650 crore of Neo Metro for two corridors of the city was finally sent to the Central Government, it was believed that now the dream would come true. However, with the ever-increasing wait, this hope is also fading.
However, leaving this hope to the Central Government, the officials of the Corporation have started moving forward on the new project of Pad Taxi in Doon. This project will work as a feeder line of Neo Metro. The basic survey has also been completed to prepare the DPR while deciding its route.
The Pad Taxi will be operated between Clementown to Balliwala, Gandhi Park to IT Park and Panditwadi to Railway Station. This feeder line will prove to be helpful in taking the passengers of Neo Metro to the main corridor and bringing them back. So that the residents of the surrounding areas can use it before and after the metro journey.
These will be the routes of the feeder line
• Clementown to Balliwala, 7.65 km
• Gandhi Park to IT Park, 6.22 km
• Panditwadi to Railway Station, 4.62 km
• Travelling to these routes of Neo Metro will be easy
• ISBT to Gandhi Park (5.52 km) and FRI (13.9 km)
Like Neo Metro, it will be operated on pillars
The pad taxi will also be operated on pillars like Neo Metro. It will have smaller cabins than Neo Metro, in which 06 to 08 passengers can sit.
Question: Till when will the work on alternatives continue?
Of course, the officials of Uttarakhand Metro Rail Corporation cannot sit idle just waiting for Neo Metro. Still the question is whether the corporation will be limited to just doing paperwork on the options.
Because, the future of Neo Metro is still in the dark and now work has started on pad taxis as well. Therefore, the government machinery will have to move forward in the direction of action by clarifying its priority regarding modern services of public transport.
The first project in the direction of construction will be Neelkanth Ropeway
Uttarakhand Metro Rail Corporation is working on various projects from Doon to Haridwar and Rishikesh. Still, construction has not started in any project yet. However, the Neelkanth Ropeway project may be the first to move in the direction of construction.
