Amritsar to have Rapid Transit System

In an effort to de-congest the routes leading to Golden Temple, Amritsar Municipal Corporation has proposed to set up a Personal Rapid Transit System (PRTS) at a estimated cost Rs 198.5 crore.
The Municipality has floated tenders and the process of bidding will begin from April 26, Surinder Singh, Assistant Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, told reporters here.
PRTS will be designed on an elevated dedicated guideway which will be mounted on pillars. A pod or a capsule will be operated on these guideways and 210 pods would be designed and used.
A single pod will have the capacity to carry five-six persons and will be battery operated, he said adding it will be a zero pollution transport system which will not affect the heritage surroundings of the city.

He said it would work on two routes. First one would be from Amritsar Railway Station-Golden Temple and the second would be from Bus Terminus-Golden Temple.
The total length of the route will be 3.5 kms and the estimated cost of the project would be approximately Rs 198.5 crore, said Harinder Singh, Executive Engineer with the Corporation said.

After the inception of the project, it is expected to be completed within 30-33 months.
The project would be commissioned on Build-Operate- Transfer (BOT) model wherein the company would work on the project for 30 years to recover its costs and thereafter transfer it to the authorities.

This transport system would benefit locals and, in particular, tourists, the official said.