Surat metro rail gets crucial PIB approval

AHMEDABAD/SURAT: In a major push for alternative public transport for the Diamond City, the Public Investment Board has approved the Surat Metro Rail project on Wednesday.


To be built at a cost of Rs 10,829.14 crore, the Surat Metro will run on a total route of 40.35 km that includes 6.47 km underground corridor.

If people hop on to the metro rail, it can significantly reduce the load of two-wheelers and cars that are choking most areas. The route from Sarthana to DREAM City is expected to provide a seamless transport to hundreds of diamond workers living in Varachha and Katargam to Surat Diamond Bourse.


The second route - Saroli to Bhesan - is also expected to provide an alternative transport to a large working class population who travel between west zone and Udhna.

At present, there are nearly 25 lakh two-wheelers in the city. The congestion in Walled City areas is also likely to ease considerably with the 6.47 km underground route from Kapodara to Maskati Hospital.

The project proposal will now be sent to the finance department and the Union cabinet for final approval as a formality. Sources said IP Gautam, managing director, Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC) and Mukesh Puri, additional chief secretary, urban development, made the final presentation of the project in New Delhi.

Surat municipal commissioner M Thennarasan said, "Though a formality of state cabinet approval is required, we expect the work to begin soon. The project will be completed by 2021-22 from the day work starts. We expect around three lakh people to use the metro looking at the present situation."

In all, there will be 38 stations including the underground ones. Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) plans to construct five elevated stations at a cost of Rs 111.88 crore on public-private-partnership (PPP) model. The DREAM City company would construct a station at the cost of Rs 31.20 crore. The other station to be developed on PPP model include Rupali Canal, Althan Tenement, Aquarium and Athwa Chowpaty.

Suresh Prajapati, a resident of Walled City said, "We are awaiting metro rail as it will become a lifeline for many like us who have to change three transports to reach our destination of work."