Rs 3-trillion metro rail projects proposed for the next five years

The projects also include the 90-km RRTS line between Meerut and Delhi

Metro rail networks stretching over 1,500 km, including rapid rail transit system (RRTS) projects, are being proposed to be laid over the next 5 years across various cities, a senior Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry official said in Lucknow on Thursday. 

The proposed Rs 3-trillion expenditure on these projects comprised central and state government equity, apart from funding by other agencies, said Sanjay Murthy, joint secretary in the ministry.

He informed these projects also includedd the 90-km RRTS line between Meerut and Delhi, which was estimated to entail an investment of Rs 30,000 crore, and would cut the travel time between the two cities to less than an hour.

“Over the past 5 years, metro projects totalling 877 km were put in the pipeline in 27 cities, of which 400 km have already been laid and the work on the remaining sections is underway,” he replied to a Business Standard query at the press meet.

He will attend the Urban Mobility India conference-cum-exhibition 2019 here on Friday, in which more than 1,000 Indian and foreign delegates are expected to participate.

Murthy said urbanisation had posed many challenges of mobility and the annual event is aimed at brainstorming on the topic and finding solutions, which could be replicated in the urban centres.

He further informed the central government had prepared a standardisation document, which would bring about 25-30 per cent reduction in cost of metro rail projects.

 “Besides, there is a proposal of ‘metrolite’, which would cost 50-75 per cent cheaper than regular metro projects to save on investment.

 The event would be inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, while union minister of state (independent charge) for housing and urban affairs Hardeep Singh Puri would also address the ceremony.

In another programme at Kanpur, the CM is also scheduled to launch the civil work on Kanpur Metro Rail project.

According to UP Metro Rail Corporation limited (UPMRC) officials, the contract to build the ‘viaduct’ of the 8.73 km elevated section of the priority corridor of Kanpur Metro was awarded to Afcons Infrastructure on September 13, 2019.

On January 17, 2018, the Adityanath cabinet had approved three proposed metro rail projects in Agra, Kanpur and Meerut at an investment of almost Rs 47,000 crore. The required funds would be raised through share equity, debt and borrowings from financial institutions.

The Agra, Kanpur and Meerut metro rail projects would require investments of almost Rs 14,000 crore, Rs 18,000 crore and Rs 15,000 crore respectively. The three metro services are projected to be operational by 2024.

However, UPMRC managing director Kumar Keshav today informed that the estimated cost on Kanpur Metro had been pared to Rs 12,000 crore by the Corporation.