PATNA, March 10 -- Bihar chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit on Monday held a meeting with officials of Larsen & Toubro to operationalise an 'Ultra Pod' (Ultra Personal Rapid Transit) system in Patna. The system aims to provide fast and secure connectivity between key government offices, according to a communique issued by the chief secretary's cell of the cabinet secretariat department. The Rs.296-crore project is designed as a smart and sustainable intra-government mobility solution linking the Old Secretariat complex with nearby administrative buildings. Following administrative approval, the system is expected to become fully operational within 15 months. The automated transit network will run on a dedicated track of around 5km, starting from Visvesvaraya Bhavan and passing through Vikas Bhavan and the Bihar Legislative Assembly before terminating at the Old Secretariat. Officials said the Ultra Pod system is intended to provide fast, non-stop travel between designated stations, allowing passengers to reach their destinations directly without unscheduled halts. The feature is expected to enhance both efficiency and security for government officials travelling between the buildings. Under the plan, pods will arrive at designated stations every seven seconds for passenger convenience. Each pod will have seating capacity for six passengers, and a total of 59 pods will operate on the route. In the initial phase, nine stations will be constructed along the corridor, with parking facilities planned near two of them. The project will also include a control room and a dedicated parking facility for the pods. All pods will be fully automated and equipped with security cameras, requiring no human intervention during operations. Officials described the system as environmentally friendly and carbon-positive, noting that no trees will be cut during construction of the elevated tracks. By reducing the use of motorised vehicles for government work, the project is also expected to lower emissions and ease traffic congestion in the area. The system is planned to ease traffic pressure during peak office hours and relieve congestion in the administrative zone. Fares are expected to remain affordable, and passengers will access the pods through rechargeable tokens or smart cards. The initiative, officials said, aligns with the Centre's broader push for smart, sustainable and integrated urban mobility while improving connectivity between key administrative facilities in the state capital....