Commuting to be easier. In a major boost to public transport in urban areas, the Union Budget 2021-22 proposed a new scheme of Rs 18,000 crore for public bus transport services, central funding for Kochi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Nagpur and Nashik metro rails, new technologies ‘MetroLite’ and ‘MetroNeo’ to be deployed in tier-2 cities and peripheral areas of tier-1 cities at much lesser cost with same experience, safety and convenience.
The government has also allocated 23,500 crore for the projects related to Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) and Metro services in the country. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation, which is executing the country’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project, has been allocated Rs 4,472 crore as against 2,487 crore in the revised 2020-21 estimates.
Presenting her first ever paperless Union Budget in the parliament for the financial year 2021-22, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the metro rail network of 702 km is already operational across the country, and another 1,600 km of the metro rail network is under construction in 27 cities.
“MetroLite and MetroNeo will be deployed to provide metro rail systems at much lesser costs with the same experience, convenience and safety in Tier 2 cities and peripheral areas of Tier 1 cities also,” she said.
Sitharaman pointed out that central counterpart funding would be provided to Kochi Metro Railway Phase 2- of 11.5 kms at a cost of Rs 1,957.05 crore and Chennai metro railway Phase 2 of 118.9 kms at a cost of Rs 63,246 crore. The Bengaluru Metro Project- Phase 2A and 2B of 58.19 kms will be provided funding of Rs 14,788 crore. While the Nagpur Metro Project Phase 2 and the Nashik Metro Project would be provided amounts of Rs 5,976 crore and Rs 2,092 crore respectively, she added.
Sitharaman further said that the government will work toward raising the share of public transport in urban areas through expansion of metro rail network and augmentation of city bus service.
“A new scheme will be launched at a cost of Rs 18,000 crore to support the augmentation of public bus transport services. The scheme will facilitate deployment of innovative PPP models to enable private sector players to finance, acquire, operate and maintain over 20,000 buses. The scheme will boost the automobile sector, provide a fillip to economic growth, create employment opportunities for our youth and enhance ease of mobility for urban residents,” she added.