For residents, metro rail is still a distant dream. They doubt the government’s seriousness for any such mass rapid transport system in the city despite sanctioning Rs 2.5 crore for preparing its detailed project report.

Sharing their views with The Telegraph, most of the residents said the past performance of the state government on this front had little to instil hope in them. Forget providing metro services, the government should do something to overhaul the existing public transport system was the common sentiment. Hundreds are forced to put their lives at stake and travel dangerously in buses and autorickshaws.

Mahendra Singh, a resident of the Ashok Rajpath, said: “I have been hearing since long that the state government is planning to start metro rail services in the city. I also read in newspapers — the only source of information about the government policies — monorail service would be introduced as well. To me, these are nothing more than selling dreams. If you talk about the transport service in the city, it is in a horrible condition.”

He added: “First of all, the government should provide quality bus stands, virtually non-existent in the city. The buses do not stop at bus stands. They usually stop 100m away from them. The policy makers should understand that just sanctioning funds for the detailed project report for metro services will not help.”

Going around the town, The Telegraph found Singh’s complaints to be true. Hardly any bus follows traffic rules and stop at bus stands. Commuters have to run after them for getting a “foothold”.

The situation has worsened after a private player suspended its ring route bus service. People hang outside the few buses still plying in the city dangerously.

While the state government is nurturing the metro rail dream, its move to run city buses under public-private-partnership came a cropper. Disagreement between the private bus service provider and Bihar State Road Transport Corporation over numerous issues allegedly prompted the suspension of the service.

“What prompted the Eden Transport Private Limited to suspend its city bus service? We are bearing its brunt. Now, we have to travel in overcrowded buses dangerously. If the state cannot deal with such small issues, how will the government handle the metro rail service? I think they must first revamp the existing services. Only after doing that, they should go ahead with a new project,” said Shailesh Singh, a resident of Shiekhpura, adding that he does not have any faith in the latest announcement regarding the metro rail.

“The possibility of metro rail in the city is remote at least till the existing system is not rectified. There are several examples of transport services suspended or stopped for trivial reasons. Radio cab service, launched with much fanfare, is an example,” said a resident.

The urban development department officials refused to say anything on record when their attention was drawn towards the people's doubt over the state’s metro rail plan, but one of them, requesting anonymity, said: “The formulation of detailed project report is just the beginning and it would be too early to say with certainty that Patna would have metro rail. Several hurdles have to be overcome before starting such a project but it should not be construed that the metro rail is just a dream. A beginning has to be made somewhere.”