Ahmedabad:
Aimed at providing much needed connectivity to the commuters in some of the densest and traffic congested areas of Ahmedabad, the Union Cabinet today approved Rs 10,773 crore for phase-1 of Ahmedabad Metro 1 covering 35.96 km.
The Metro is expected to considerably reduce traffic congestion and will bring in fast, comfortable, safe, pollution-free and affordable mass transportation system for the people of Ahmedabad.
The first phase will cover two corridors - North South Corridor covering 15.42 km from APMC to Motera Stadium and East West Corridor covering 20.54 km from Thaltej Gam to Vastral Gam, according to a senior Urban Development Ministry official.
The project is scheduled to be completed in 2018.
It will be implemented by Metro Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad (MEGA) Company Ltd, which will be converted into a 50:50 jointly owned company of the Centre and Gujarat government.
It will be covered under the legal framework of the Metro Railways (Construction of Works) Act, 1978; the Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002; and the Railways Act, 1989, as amended from time to time.
The project will benefit from experience and learnings from other Metro Rail projects in Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi and Jaipur Metro.