The ambitious metro rail project connecting Gujarat capital Gandhinagar and the State commercial hub Ahmedabad will be completed by year 2020, said Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on Sunday during the ground breaking ceremony for the north-south corridor of Metro-link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad (MEGA).
Patel who laid foundation stone for the phase-1 of MEGA in March last year for 6 km said that in the second phase total 19 km from Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Vejalpur to Motera village would be covered. According to her, the work for the phase-1 was going in full swing and the State Government envisaging the MEGA project to be completed in the next four years.
“Gujarat Government is getting all sorts of support from NDA Government at the Centre for all the developmental projects including MEGA. As a result of it the State Government is confident to complete the MEGA project within the time limit,” said Gujarat CM, adding that in the phase-II, 15 elevated stations would be constructed at an estimated cost of `4,500 crore.
The MEGA project was the concept of Prime Minster Narendra Modi when he was Gujarat Chief Minister. The former Modi Government in Gujarat had finalised the MEGA project with a route length of 76 km with an estimated cost of `15,000 crore in order to provide world-class, comfortable, safe and quick travel between Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad.
She further said that her Government is planning to initiate metro rail project for the fast growing Surat which would connect Surat and Navsari areas in South Gujarat. The Central Government approved `10,733 crore for phase-1 covering 37.76 km route. The State Government has formed a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) — MEGA Company limited (MCl) for the fast implementation of MEGA project.
According to IP Gautam Managing Director of MCl the second phase would be completed in next three years period. Speedy work is possible for the second phase because of Government of India’s support as part of the MEGA routes are being constructed on railway land.
MEGA project got momentum after the Modi Government came into power as it gave all the approval in November 2014 to kick-start the project including long pending demand of permission to use railway land for the metro rail project. According to Gautam the demand was pending since 2011.