Patna to launch water metro soon: All you need to know
The capital of Bihar, Patna, is set to witness a major transformation in public transport with the introduction of Water Metro Services — an ambitious initiative announced by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal. This initiative is part of the government's broader push to harness India's inland waterways for sustainable transportation, economic growth, and tourism development.advertisementA MODERN ALTERNATIVE FOR URBAN TRANSPORTThe Water Metro in Patna will serve as a cleaner, more efficient, and eco-friendly urban transportation system by utilising the Ganga River. The proposed system is expected to connect both banks of the river, easing congestion on roads and providing a seamless commuting option for thousands of daily passengers.PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS: WHAT TO EXPECT16 new jetties will be constructed across Patna.
2 modern terminals will be developed.A dedicated vessel hub will be established to maintain and manage the ferries.The National Inland Waterways Institute (NIWI), based in Patna, will be upgraded as a centre of excellence to support the project and future waterway innovations.These developments aim to transform Patna into a major hub for inland water transport in the eastern region of India.BOOST TO TOURISM AND LOCAL ECONOMYAlong with easing daily commutes, the Water Metro project is expected to:advertisementEncourage tourism along the Ganga riverfront.Create local employment opportunities in ferry operations, terminal management, and maintenance.Support the development of ecotourism and heritage tourism, linking the service with Patna's many cultural landmarks.As per the Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, the "Water Metro" will connect both banks of the river and offer a clean, efficient, and modern urban mobility solution. He also stated that the National Inland Navigation Institute is being upgraded as a centre of excellence with fresh investment to support this vision."The upcoming Water Metro service in Patna is not just a transport initiative—it symbolises the future of urban development in river-rich cities. As work begins on this ambitious project, it stands to not only modernize public mobility but also spark new growth avenues for tourism, employment, and sustainable infrastructure in Bihar.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
28 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Union Minister Jitendra Singh convenes meeting of all science & technology institutes and reviews progress of institutes in Northeast
New Delhi [India], June 17 (ANI): Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and MoS in the Prime Minister Office, Deptt. of Space and Atomic Energy chaired a high-level review meeting of all science and technology institutes operating in the Northeast, along with key departments of the Nagaland government, in Wokha district on Tuesday, said a statement from Ministry of Science & Technology. During the meeting, Dr Singh emphasised the recent breakthroughs achieved in the region due to an enabling ecosystem fostered by the Government's strong inclination towards science, technology and innovation. He reiterated the importance of not limiting scientific advancement to central areas but expanding it actively into peripheral and remote regions -- particularly the Northeastern states, which hold immense untapped potential. Dr. Singh highlighted the rich biodiversity of the region and identified agriculture and allied sectors, along with tourism and film production, as key focus areas for sustainable growth. Praising Wokha District, he noted its success under the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme with Banana cultivation, which has brought national recognition to the area. 'This model can be scaled to a larger commercial level, boosting the local economy while showcasing the region's unique strengths,' he said. He further shared that a 15-day nationwide saturation campaign for flagship government schemes is being launched, aimed at achieving maximum reach and inclusion. Reflecting on the transformative changes of the last decade, he pointed out that youth from Nagaland and Manipur are now actively recruited into aviation and hospitality industries, which was unthinkable earlier. 'In fact, the recent tragic air crash in Ahmedabad included two young girls from Manipur -- a solemn reminder of how far the region has come,' he said with emotion. Dr. Singh praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's consistent prioritisation of the Northeast, sharing that the PM has visited the region at least 70 times since 2014. 'His goal was to break both mental and physical barriers that distanced the region from the mainstream,' Singh remarked. He urged youth and women to take leadership roles. 'In the Northeast, women have always led -- from managing fish markets to running households. Now is the time to form self-help groups, generate livelihood, and build confidence,' he said. He recalled that women scientists led missions like Chandrayaan, Aditya-L1, and others -- adding that in the Northeast, the culture of women leadership is already embedded. Concluding the meeting, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that India's economic rise to the top three economies globally will be fuelled by unexplored and underexplored regions like the Northeast, aligning with the goal of a Viksit Bharat by 2047. The meeting was attended by Nagaland MLA Dr Chumben Murry, Advisor to the Chief Minister, and senior officials from premier scientific institutions under the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, and Survey of India, among others. (ANI)
India Gazette
29 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Piyush Goyal reviews progress of NICDC-led industrial nodes
New Delhi [India], June 17 (ANI): Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal chaired a high-level review meeting at the Tobacco Board, Guntur, to assess the progress of NICDC-led industrial nodes in Andhra Pradesh under various industrial corridors. According to a release from the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the review meeting held on on 15th June 2025, focused on the development of three major nodes in the state--Krishnapatnam Industrial Area under the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC), Orvakal Industrial Area under the Hyderabad-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (HBIC), and Kopparthy Industrial Area under the Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC). Union Minister Goyal directed officials to focus on attracting anchor investors and startups by building innovation-friendly ecosystems within each industrial node. He stressed the need to establish dedicated incubators to nurture early-stage enterprises and facilitate a robust startup ecosystem. The Minister also instructed officials to earmark zones within each node for MSMEs and startups, offering subsidised rates and equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and technological support. Highlighting the need for global partnerships, Goyal advocated for organising country-specific investment conclaves to attract targeted foreign investments. He further called for the creation of a centralised dashboard to enable real-time monitoring of project progress and urged the adoption of advanced testing and quality control mechanisms to ensure world-class infrastructure. Reaffirming the Government of India's commitment to transforming Andhra Pradesh into a symbol of industrial excellence and innovation, the Minister said the state is poised to become 'Swarnandhra Pradesh'--a beacon of inclusive and sustainable industrial growth. The meeting was attended by Member of Parliament (Guntur) Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani; Minister of State for Rural Development & Communications, T.G. Bharath; Minister of Industries & Commerce, Government of Andhra Pradesh, N. Yuvaraj; Secretary of Industries, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Rajat Kumar Saini; CEO & MD, NICDC, Abhishikth Kishore; Managing Director, APIIC, and senior officials from NICDC, APICDC, and other stakeholder agencies. The session began with detailed presentations on all three NICDC nodes by the Vice Chairman & Managing Director, APIIC, followed by an overview of Andhra Pradesh's industrial roadmap under the ambitious 'Swarna Andhra 2047' framework presented by the Secretary, Industries. CEO & MD, NICDC Rajat Kumar Saini, emphasised the importance of fast-tracking land acquisition, timely execution of external infrastructure by the State Government, and ensuring quality standards throughout project implementation. Andhra Pradesh is the only state in India to host industrial nodes under three separate industrial corridors, reflecting its commitment to integrated planning, robust infrastructure, and strong institutional support. These projects represent a transformative phase of industrialisation for both the state and the nation. The Krishnapatnam Node, spread over 2,006 acres, has an investment potential of approximately Rs 10,500 crore and is expected to generate around 1 lakh jobs. The Orvakal Node, covering 2,621 acres, is projected to attract Rs 12,000 crore in investments and create employment for nearly 45,000 people. Meanwhile, the Kopparthy Node, spanning 2,596 acres, is anticipated to bring in investments of Rs 8,800 crore and generate jobs for approximately 54,000 individuals. As per the release, the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) is an initiative of the Government of India under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. It is dedicated to developing next-generation industrial smart cities aimed at boosting manufacturing, attracting investments, generating employment, and enhancing India's global economic competitiveness. NICDC ensures seamless multimodal connectivity, plug-and-play infrastructure, and sustainable urbanisation through its flagship corridors: Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC), Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC), East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC), and Bengaluru-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (BMIC). (ANI)
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Need to empower local civic bodies to support double-digit economic growth in India, says Vijay Kelkar
1 2 3 Pune: Former finance secretary Vijay Kelkar on Tuesday called for a change in urban governance policies to help India achieve double-digit economic growth. "Going forward, cities are going to be engines of growth, and urban governance will become an important aspect of that growth," Kelkar said in Pune at an event to recognise his work. He is set to receive the Punyabhushan Puraskar, 2025, on June 23 for his contribution to the field of economics. The renowned economist has also served as advisor to the Union finance minister, chairman of the 13th finance commission, and executive director for India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Bhutan at the International Monetary Fund. "Across the globe, mayors of major capital cities such as Beijing, Paris and New York are the second most powerful people in the country after presidents, premiers and prime ministers," Kelkar said. "But that is not the case in India as of now." "In the past, stalwarts have held the position of mayors," Kelkar said, and cited the examples of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the mayor of Calcutta (now Kolkata), F K Nariman (Bombay, now Mumbai), and veteran Congressman Kakasaheb Gadgil, who was the mayor of Pune. Pune has not had a mayor or civic elections for a few years now. The Supreme Court recently ordered state govt to conduct the long-pending civic elections in the state. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ask A Pro: "I'm 70 with $1.4M in IRAs. Should I convert $120K/Year to a Roth?" SmartAsset Undo The term of several civic bodies in the state, including Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), expired in 2022. Kelkar reiterated that govt should consider sharing 33% of Goods and Services Tax (GST) with elected local bodies in addition to sharing it with central and state govts. "This would empower civic bodies to propagate economic growth in the country and improve social infrastructure such as schools and hospitals, along with basic infrastructure such as roads and drainage systems," he said. He added that it would prevent cases like Ludhiana, which has the highest number of per capita Mercedes Benz cars, but a major part of the city does not have proper drainage systems. "Rich city but poor corporation. The next challenge is how we are going to make cities the engines of growth," Kelkar said. On GST, he lauded govt for implementing the regime at a faster pace compared to some other countries but added that it should reduce the tax bracket to a lower rate and reduce the complexity. The highest GST slab in India is 28%. The Indian economy is growing at the rate of 5.5% to 6.5% for the last decade, but it is not enough, Kelkar added. "India should aim for more than a 10% growth rate if it is to become an economic powerhouse, and it can do so only by utilising its demographic dividend. If we are not able to do that, we will become old before we become rich," Kelkar said.
