UT to integrate buses, Metro

CHANDIGARH: UT administration has decided that after the Metro Rail network is established in the city, people will be allowed to use both the train and bus services with the same ticket.
This is being done to extend road connectivity to metro rail stations. The services of Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) will be utilized for this.
Sources said the common fare would be affordable for users.
In order to connect the Metro rail services with towns beyond Panchkula and Mohali, feeder bus services would also be introduced so people can travel to the nearest Metro station with ease.
Speaking to The Times of India, UT finance-cum-engineering secretary V K Singh said the concept of the common passenger ticket had been decided upon to increase the reach of Metro service beyond its stations.
''To make this Rs 15,000-crore project a success, we will have to go for developing road transport options and connecting Metro stations. Keeping that in view, we have talked to officials of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and are working on its feasibility,'' insisted Singh.
In their recent talks with DMRC and Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (MRTC) officials, administration officials had also decided to ask Punjab and Haryana to start feeder bus services for Mohali and Panchkula metro stations to far-off areas.
''We would like these feeder bus services for neighbouring towns of Kurali, Kharar, Zirakpur, Kalka, Mullanpur and other places.
In the first phase of the Metro, 33km of track would be laid and two coaches of would run in east-west and north-south directions with a waiting period of 20 minutes. An estimated amount of Rs 10,000 crore will be spent for this.
Another UT official said, ''Our proposal to have an integrated single token system for both metro rail and CTU buses has been sent to the Union Urban Development Ministry and the DMRC has been also been told to highlight this in its next detailed project report (DPR) for the metro.''