Chandigarh's ambitious metro rail project, a dream persisting for over fourteen years, faces a fundamental rethink. In a significant shift, UT Administrator and Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria has proposed a leaner, smarter alternative to the now-prohibitively expensive plan, which has seen its cost projection balloon to a staggering Rs 30,000 crore.
A Cautionary Tale from Jaipur Shapes New Vision
Speaking at a Meet-the-Press event at the Chandigarh Press Club, Kataria drew direct lessons from Jaipur's metro experience, labeling it a financial cautionary tale. He revealed that Jaipur's project could not even recover its interest costs, making it an unsustainable model. For Chandigarh, the challenges are compounded by its limited population and the presence of heritage zones, which would make extensive underground construction inevitable and massively inflate expenses.
"Instead, if metro lines extend to adjoining cities and terminate at Chandigarh's edge, with buses ensuring last-mile connectivity, the model becomes viable," Kataria explained. His proposed solution involves developing metro corridors only up to peripheral points of the City Beautiful, supported by a robust and frequent bus network to ferry commuters into the city core.
Cost Escalation and a New Mobility Blueprint
The cost trajectory of the Chandigarh metro project highlights the urgency for an alternative. From an initial estimate of Rs 10,900 crore in the 2012 DPR, the figure jumped to Rs 16,509 crore in 2023 and Rs 24,000 crore in 2024. The latest 2025 projection of Rs 30,000 crore is attributed to route changes and prolonged indecision. Officials warn the final cost could be even higher.
To implement the new vision, Kataria announced that 25 new buses have already joined the city's fleet, with plans to induct 100 in total. This expansion aims to ensure a bus arrives every 15 minutes, forming the backbone of the last-mile connectivity plan. He has directed officials to study transit systems in similar-sized cities before committing huge sums.
Governance and City Issues Addressed
Beyond transportation, Kataria addressed several key governance challenges. He admitted that the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation's one-year mayoral term hampers project execution, as most of the year is consumed by tendering formalities. Models from other states with longer tenures (2.5 or 5 years) are being studied, and a proposal may be sent to the Union Home Ministry.
On city finances, he backed a proposal to raise the MC's revenue share from 17.5% to 30% and promised to take up the matter personally. Regarding urban violations, he assured a balanced approach to providing relief without compromising Chandigarh's original character, noting that pending notices have already been reduced from 5,000 to 2,500.
Focus on Crime, Drugs, and Employment
Kataria also touched upon broader regional issues. On Punjab's gangster menace, he urged police to devise mechanisms for swift arrests before criminals cross state borders. Addressing the drug crisis, he highlighted 23,000 arrests of peddlers but stressed that lasting solutions require public awareness and support from social and religious bodies.
Calling the contractual employment system "inhumane," he stated that Chandigarh will study job security models from Haryana and Punjab that guarantee employment until the age of 60.
The administrator's comprehensive press interaction signals a pragmatic, if scaled-back, approach to Chandigarh's development, prioritizing financial viability and integrated solutions over standalone mega-projects.
