This story is from August 22, 2019

Patna roads to get a ‘clean’ makeover

City roads are set to get a cleaner look with the Patna Smart City Limited (PSCL) planning to bury the mess of dangling criss-cross cables of electricity, telephone and broadband among other wires.
Patna roads to get a ‘clean’ makeover
The “smart roads” would have a common underground utility ducts for drains and electrical wiring, optical fibre cables, broadband, sewerage, water pipelines and also gas pipelines
PATNA: City roads are set to get a cleaner look with the Patna Smart City Limited (PSCL) planning to bury the mess of dangling criss-cross cables of electricity, telephone and broadband among other wires.
Altogether 30 roads in the city will be redesigned to ensure better mobility, utility and liveability under “smart road network” project. In addition, all approach roads to the Ganga Ghats will also be developed under the smart road network project.
The “smart roads” would have a common underground utility ducts for drains and electrical wiring, optical fibre cables, broadband, sewerage, water pipelines and also gas pipelines.

The Patna divisional commissioner and chairman of PSCL, Anand Kishor, said there will be no comprise with the width of the roads under the smart project.
“The materials that would be used in making the roads and dividers will be of high quality,” he said.
On being asked about the impact on traffic as being witnessed currently, Kishor said, “The PSCL will make arrangements for alternate routes when the selected company will redesign the major roads like Ashok Rajpath, Frazer road, Buddha Marg and Dak Bunglow. Currently, the work is going on at connecting roads and approach roads.”
The pilot project has already commenced on three roads, namely the 860-metre stretch of Budh Marg, 650m
Vidyapati Marg and 620m Sinha Library road. Under this project around 20-km roads will be developed as smart roads including Ashok Rajpath, Amarnath Path, SP Verma road, Frazer road, Jamal road, Exhibition road, Gandhi Maidan, Dak Bunglow road and Bandar Bagicha among other roads.
The estimated cost of the project is around Rs 302 crore and the work will be complete by 2021. However, the PSCL has asked the private company selected to execute the project to complete the redevelopment of approach roads to Ganga ghats before the Chhath festival.
“The identified smart road network in the ABD lies in the central part of the city between Gandhi Maidan and Station road. The work will be carried out in three phase and it will complete by 2021,” said Harshita, a PSCL official.
Patna mayor Sita Sahu said each utility provider will be given separate ducts. “There will be a duct for drains, there will be another duct for optical fibre cables, electrical wires, domestic gas pipes and water supply lines,” she said.
“Underground cabling assures longevity of such roads and roads will not be dug up for civic utilities of various kinds including laying underground pipelines, electricity, phone wires and construction of drains among on either side along pavements,” she added.
Under this project, the sections for footpath, cycle lanes and greenery, varies as per the width of roads from 8m to 30m.
The existing trees will not be felled and designs will be made accommodating them in the plan.
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About the Author
Faryal Rumi

She is working with the Times of India as a Senior Digital Content Creator on the Patna desk.

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