RITES begins ground survey for monorail in Patna

RITES - the consultancy arm of the Indian Railways - has began ground survey and soil inspection for a monorail in the Bihar capital, said official on Friday.

Officials in the state urban development department said that RITES has started soil testing at four places in Patna to conduct techno-economic feasibility study for a monorail here.

"RITES has already conducted two preliminary surveys out of four paces and submitted reports to concerned section of Indian railways" official said.

According to officials, RITES conducted its first survey in 2008 after

then Railway Minister Lalu Prasad announced to build a mono rail system in Patna.

"Then a survey was conducted to study the possibility of what is likely to be the first monorail service in the country," an official of East Central Railway, headquarters at Hajipur near Patna told rediff.com.

Lalu was impressed by the monorail systems in developed countries and wanted to replicate it here to help ease traffic congestion in Patna.

Last month, the Planning Commission has given a go-ahead for the construction of the Metro rail in Patna.

The Metro rail will be introduced on two routes under the public-private partnership.