The new financial year is turning out to be good for Patna, as work on three much-needed civic projects has gained pace. 

The Telegraph presents an update on the status of the three projects:

Traffic signals

Patna traffic Police and BUIDCo started combined trial runs of the newly installed electronic traffic 
signals at four spots between the Income-Tax roundabout and Dakbungalow crossing in central Patna on Thursday evening. 

Though trial runs were conducted separately for the traffic signals at each junction starting February 27, it is 
for the first time that the signals at all the four junctions were being tested simultaneously.

“The idea is to synchronise the operations of the traffic signals at all four junctions as well as to assess the time required for the signals to change colours at each location. We would hold the trial runs in peak hours as well as non peak hours, the time slots for which have already been advertised. Public announcements would also be made at all the four junctions to spread awareness on the traffic signals,” said P.K. Das, the superintendent of police (traffic), Patna.

Drainage network 

Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (BUIDCo) has commenced work on a project worth Rs 9.96 crore to solve central Patna’s waterlogging problem. The project envisages digging a drain from the existing drain in Mandiri area to the SP Verma pumping station with an estimated cost of Rs 9.96 crore.

“The work on the project has started from the tail-end, wherein Sinha Library Road is being dug. We expect that the work on laying the drainage pipeline on the stretch would start within a fortnight. Once the work on Sinha Library Road finishes, we would take up the work 
on the Museum Road. Moreover, it is expected to take around a year’s time for completion of the project,” said a senior BUIDCo official.

LED delights

BUIDCo erected 39 poles, along with fixtures for LED streetlights, on Serpentine Road and 28 on Shaheed Peer Ali Marg also known as airport road by second week of February. However, none of the lights is lit, as Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has not taken the electricity connection.

New municipal commissioner Jai Singh on Thursday instructed the executive officer of New Capital circle (NCC) of PMC to apply for electric connection from Patna Electric Supply 
Undertaking (Pesu) for the LED lights.

“I have asked the executive officer of NCC to apply for the electricity for the LEDs at the earliest,” said Singh. BUIDCo officials said depending on the sanction on the electricity connection, the lights can be made operational within a fortnight.