I think many of you would agree that the gateways to any city hold extreme importance in building the image of that city. This is the primary reason why I would like to take this particular aspect of our beloved city in this article. Patna as we all know have three important gateways – Patna Junction, Airport and the Bus Stand at Mithapur. The first one in this series would focus on Patna Junction.
Step out of the Patna junction and you would have a glimpse of the chaotic life of this city. While the Mahavir Mandir stands tall in harmony with the neighbouring Jama Masjid and the newly built Buddha Park has added its own flavour to the surroundings, one can’t help but wish for a little more of order in that place. Rickshaws, Autos and Buses jostle for space and compete for every potential customer in a manner which would not leave a good taste to many. To complicate the matter, encroachments on the station road does not leave much space for the vehicular traffic to move swiftly leading to traffic snarls throughout the day – All this do not present Patna in a positive light at least to someone coming to the city for the first time. Also, once chosen to be upgraded as a world class railway station, Patna Junction does not even offer basic amenities to the passengers at the present moment.
While the Junction premises comes under the purview of Indian Railways, I think with active collaboration of state government and municipal body the surroundings of the area can be improved substantially for the comfort of not only those visiting the city but also for the residents of the city. What I am going to suggest are my vision for that area and may require fine tunings for actual implementation:
I think that it has become necessary to reconstruct the ‘New Market’ area on both sides of the Station Road on the lines of City Centre Mall of Kolkata (I am yet to see City Centre of other cities to make a comment on them). I am making this statement without even having an idea of who owns the land and if the civic body / government would be able to convince the shop owners in order to do so. However, if implemented it has the potential of not enhancing the aesthetics of entire area but also provide various amenities to the people. Let us now think what can be done if we redevelop the entire place:
1. Patnaites can get rid of encroachment on Station Road. The proposed market can be designed smartly to accommodate vendors who till now encroach the street.
2. Since (in this idea) the market area would be rebuilt thus it is possible to design it in a way to widen the road as well. The effective width of the road would then be much more than at present as a) the vendors would be relocated within the market and b) the width of the road would increase. This would go a long way in reducing the traffic snarls.
3. The proposed market can provide facility of Car Parking (Underground or Multi Storied One) to address one issue plaguing the city throughout.
4. If planned properly, the extreme ends of the market can be developed as Auto Stands with platforms for different routes just like the Bus Stand at Majestic. The government should ensure a mechanism that an order is maintained while availing autos from those stands like having a queues system for autos. The autos should be charged a nominal facility fee for using the facility. This would help to curb the menace created by some auto drivers. The same can be done for the Rickshaws as well.
5. With the Karbighaiya – Budh Marg section of the Mithapur flyover scheduled to open shortly, I think it would not be difficult to develop the Bus Stand at the Karbighaiya end. The flyover along with Chiraiyantad flyover would allow the buses to take their desired routes.
6. Now this is a bit farfetched – but to provide ease to the passengers (who normally have heavy luggage with them) to travel to both ends of the stations, can the administration in consultation with railways authorities devise a mechanism to introduce ‘Walkator’ within the station premises?
7. And can this Walkator system be introduced to ferry the people to and fro between the auto stands and station premises? With proper shelter, more and more people may be inclined to use the system. It would also help as the auto / rickshaw drivers would feel less need to come near the station gate to support their business resulting in easing of pressure near the station gate.
8. Coming back to the proposed market place – With proper design, it could create a decent circulating area in which the residents can find another breathing space in the increasingly ‘concretifying’ (Don’t worry. It is not a word. I have just made it up) city. It can be landscaped aesthetically to bring in that effect.
9. With enough space now at hand, the road can be lined up with trees on both sides and if possible on the divider as well giving it a look of a boulevard.
10. The market can have an entertainment zone with games like bowling, pool, TT and others to engage people. This would not only help those whose trains have got delayed and need to kill time but would also get patrons from the residents of the city as the city still lacks in proper outing avenues for families. One could even think of a multiplex
11. To extend the argument, if the plan would be to extend the complex to multiple floors then government could look into developing budget accommodation with decent services and amenities in a certain section. This would help those looking for reasonable accommodation in the city.
12. Coming to accommodation, Patna does not boast of any good hotel to provide luxury to high and mighty. In fact, even Prakash Jha said that even if he wanted he could not shoot in Patna as it does not have proper amenities for the stay of the stars of his films. In my last visit to the city, I could see a vacant land by the side of Hardinge Park. Again, I do not know who owns the land. But, it struck to me as a very good place to have a luxury hotel (5 star) – it is central to the city and has Railway station, Airport and even Bus Terminal in its vicinity.
13. Even the Karbighiya end should be landscaped to improve the aesthetics of the place.
Some of these ideas may seem reasonable while others farfetched. The questions can come on funding of the project as well and how to ensure the interest of the existing shop owners. Funding can be either entirely by government (a proposal to have another artery to Mithapur bridge connecting it to Chiraintad flyover to ease traffic around station worth Rs. 180 crore is already on its table) or through PPP mode. Administration would have to be persuasive while keeping the interest of the existing shop owners in mind and do the negotiation.
I think our city needs this intervention along with many others to make it a ‘City of Choice’.
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