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.

Technology

29 Jul 2026

AI-Enabled Workflows Lift Profitability and Productivity

Organisations modernising frontline workflows with artificial intelligence, automation and real-time data are reporting stronger financial performance, higher productivity and improved employee engagement, according to a global study by Zebra Technologies and Oxford Economics.The research covered 1,000 senior leaders across retail, manufacturing, transportation and logistics in the US, Mexico, the UK, Germany, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.In transportation and logistics, 54 per cent of companies that improved picking and packing operations reported faster operational performance, wh..

India Leads Global AI Readiness but Implementation Lags

Indian companies lead global averages across all eight artificial intelligence readiness indicators tracked by JLL, but only 19 per cent have started making changes to their workplaces, according to the JLL 2026 Future of Work Survey.The study found that 77 per cent of Indian business leaders expect AI to change their office requirements, creating a 58-percentage-point gap between awareness and implementation. The survey covered more than 2,200 CEOs, CFOs and real estate leaders across 21 countries during the first quarter of 2026.Despite concerns over automation, 58 per cent of Indian leaders..

Three WOLFF Cranes Build Riyadh Cable-Stayed Bridges

Three WOLFF 180 B luffing jib cranes are supporting the construction of two cable-stayed bridges alongside the existing Wadi Laban Bridge in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The project is being developed for the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and executed by the ICRC joint venture comprising IC Ictas and Al Rashid Trading & Contracting Company.The cranes are handling lifting operations including formwork, reinforcement, concrete placement, work platforms, surveying equipment and other construction materials. Each crane is fitted with a 40 m jib, reaches a hook height of 157 m and offers a maximum ..