PIB approves Surat Metro Rail Project

26 Mar 2019 Editorial Team

In order to enhance the public transport for the Diamond City, the Public Investment Board (PIB) has approved the Surat Metro Rail project at a cost of Rs 121.14 billion, with two corridors of 40 km length from Sarthana to Dream City & Bhesan to Saroli in the first phase.

The proposed project is reportedly sent to the finance department and the Union cabinet for final approval as a formality. Once an approval is received, work is likely to start soon. The project will be reportedly completed by 2021-22 from the day work starts.

Including underground stations, Surat Metro project is expected to have 38 stations, of which the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) plans to construct five elevated stations at a cost of Rs 1.11 billion on public-private-partnership (PPP) model.

That said, the Dream City company would construct a station at the cost of Rs 312 million. The other station to be developed on PPP model include Rupali Canal, Althan Tenement, Aquarium and Athwa Chowpaty.

The metro project is expected to reduce the load of traffic. The route from Sarthan to Dream City is expected to provide a seamless transport to hundreds of diamond workers living in Varachha and Katargam to Surat Diamond Bourse, while the second route, from Saroli to Bhesan, will provide an alternative means of transport to a large working-class population who travel between west zone and Udhna.

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