Gujarat’s first Metro Rail will finally see the light of the day after a delay of four-and-a-half years. In the first priority reach, the train will ply at an interval of 30 minutes in the East-West corridor in the first phase of Ahmedabad Metro, which includes six stations. Each station will have a stop of two minutes.
According to Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC) Limited sources, only two trains will ply between the six stations for first few months.
Proposed in 2005, a special purpose vehicle was formed in 2010. The project came to a standstill after a scam of Rs 500 crore surfaced in 2014. Later, a new team was formed and work on the project was resumed.
“It was decided that the train will run between six stations in the priority reach area. Two trains will play between Vastral Gam station and the Apparel Park station for a few months,” said Amit Gupta, general manager at GMRC.
Currently, the company has received two trains from South Korea. The third train will be arriving by May. “We will receive the third train in May. Inspection for the tracks and coaches have been completed by the Research, Design and Specification Organisation of Indian Railways. The train is ready to chug,” said IP Gautam, MD GMRC.
The next Metro train will run in the North-South corridor between APMC and the Shreyas crossing. In this reach, the train will ply between four stations — APMC, Jivraj Park, Rajiv Nagar and Shreyash crossing. The IL&FS was given Rs 370 crore for work on this stretch but the firm later backed out. Around 70 per cent of work has been completed on this stretch. It is expected that the work will be completed by August-September this year.
The cabinet has approved the second phase of the Ahmedabad Metro which will connect Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar. “The second phase will cost Rs 5,384 crore, of which Rs 2,740 crore is an international loan, Rs 2,216 crore is an equity from the Centre and the Gujarat government. GMRC will invest Rs 266 crore,” said Gautam.
The second phase has 24 stations and this stretch will be a continuation of North-South Corridor, connecting APMC to Mahatma Mandir. This entire stretch is elevated.
