25.10.17

Gujarat nod for Rs.6,758 cr Metro Phase II

The government of Gujarat has given its stamp of approval for the Rs.6,758-crore Phase II of the Ahmedabad Metro Rail project connecting Mahatma Mandir, Sachivalaya, Gift City and PDPU.
Officials of the MetroLink Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad said Phase-II will extend from Motera to Mahatma Mandir. The 34.6 km Phase-II will be completely elevated and will have 24 stations. A separate line from Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University to GIFT City will link Gift City to the main line.

Officials said the cost of the second phase is estimated to be is Rs.6,758 crore. Work on the second phase will begin as soon as the government of India sanctions it.

The Detailed Project Report of Phase-II, connecting Mahatma Mandir, Akshardham, GIFT City and GNLU was prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

According to Metro officials, “In order to achieve the maximum benefits from the project, the DPR made 2014 for Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project Phase-I projected that connectivity to Gandhinagar would be provided from the North-South corridor of Phase-I. Accordingly, the 2017 DPR has been prepared for Phase-II, which will connect Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.“

Officials in MEGA said the second phase will start from Motera and will connect PDPU, Raysan, Gujarat International Finance TecCity and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The metro will, in Gandhinagar, connect Akshardham, Sector 24 and Mahatma Mandir, which is also close to Gandhinagar railway station. The station is also being given a facelift.

Officials said the authorities plan to finish the first phase of the project, connecting Thaltej and Vastral and APMC to Motera by the end of 2019. Officials said metro services from Vastral to Apparel Park in Khokhra will go commercial by 2019. The state plans to have the first metro trial run soon after the elections. Commercial operations will need a final nod from the commissioner of metro rail safety, which takes some 18 months.

According to the new metro rail policy announced this August by the government of India, MEGA authorities have decided to extend the Metro 6 km into GIFT City . The six-km project will be taken up by GIFT city using the PPP model.

Officials said that one station outside GIFT City would be funded through the project cost, but the cost of the 6 km elevated corridor and three station inside GIFT city would be borne by GIFT.

The officials said the route was in the proposal sent to the government of Gujarat but as the Union government changed the policy, GIFT was included via PPP and a revised proposal was approved.

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