Centre approves alignment of Metro rail along metre-gauge line

In a major boost to Gujarat government's ambitious Ahmedabad Metro rail project, the Centre has recently given approval to utilise the empty land lying parallel to the existing metre-gauge line in the city, a state minister said here today.
"The unused land parallel to the Botad-Sabarmati metre gauge railway line will be used to build the elevated corridor and seven stations for the Metro rail project," Gujarat Finance minister and government spokesperson Saurabh Patel said in a press release.
The existing railway line covers Vejalpur, Jivraj Park, Shreyas Crossing, Parimal underpass, Gandhigram railway station, Old High Court and Nava Vadaj areas of the city.

"Since 2012, the Gujarat government, then led by Narendra Modi, had made numerous representations to the erstwhile UPA government to allocate the unused land near the metre gauge line for the Metro rail project. Now, as soon as Modi became PM, he gave the much-needed approval," Patel said.
On October 18, the central cabinet had approved Rs 10,773 crore grant for phase one of the Metro rail project covering 36 km. This project includes North-South corridor from APMC to Motera and East-West corridor from Vastral to Thaltej.
Chief Minister Anandi Patel also welcomed the decision and thanked Modi for the approval, the release said.

"In August this year, CM Anandi Patel met the Union Railway Minister and Chairman of Railway Board to discuss this issue. This approval is the positive outcome of that meeting. Now, we can use the land near metre gauge line to build seven stations, starting from Vejalpur to Nava Vadaj," Patel added.
He claimed that the in-principle approval was given by Western Railway to the state government to use land on the eastern side of rail tracks to construct elevated corridors, seven stations and pillars.