Metro Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad

History

In 2003, Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board carried out the study for urban transport between Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. It also carried out the detailed project report through Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and RITES and submitted it in June 2005 and received Central Government's approval in the same year. Following the estimated cost of Rs 4295 crores and the study of viability of project, it was abandoned in 2005 to give priority to the Ahmedabad BRTS and Regional Rail system Projects. In 2008, considering the future developments in and around Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, the project was revived and new corridors were designed to make the project viable.

The special purpose vehicle company, Metro Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad (MEGA) Company Ltd, was established by Government of Gujarat on 4 February 2010 with Rs 200 crore. Later in 2014, it was decided that the Central Government will own 50% of the company.

On 19 October 2014, Union Cabinet of India approved Rs 10773 crore for the Phase–1. The Central government approved use of unused Western Railways land along the Botad- Sabarmati meter gauge line in November 2014. The original plan of metro along Ashram Road was tweaked and the track was moved westward. The new plan added cost of Rs.500 crore and two more stations. It helped by fewer problems in land acquisition and less congestion on Ashram Road. Mumbai-based J Kumar Infraprojects Ltd was allotted the construction of viaducts on the six kilometre-long route from Vastral to Apparel Park in February 2015 at cost of Rs 278.12 crore in 27 months. In 2015 budget of Gujarat, Rs 611 crore was further allocated for project. The ground breaking ceremony was held on 14 March 2015 for the construction of 6 km long Vastral – Apparel Park stretch of East-West corridor in presence of then Gujarat Chief Minister, Anandiben Patel. The 600 metre stretch of it is already constructed. The construction of this stretch is expected to complete by October 2017. The underground stretch of Shahpur-Apparel Park will take 42 months to complete while Shahpur-Thaltej stretch will take 30 months to complete. The North-South corridor is expected to complete in 2019. The construction of Gyaspur-Shreyas stretch of North-South corridor, at the cost of ₹ 374.64 crore, was allocated to IL&FS in December 2015. The ground breaking ceremony for North-South Corridor was held on 17 January 2016 in presence of Anandiben Patel. The work started in March 2016. It is expected to be completed in 120 weeks. The Indian Railways permitted the construction of North-South corridor stretch on its land in June 2016.

Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) agreed to fund ₹ 5968 crore for Phase-1 of the project in November 2015 and the first trench of ₹ 4456 crore was released in 2016.

Approved phases

Proposed phases

Phase-I extension, Phase-II, Phase-III will connect to Gandhinagar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport and GIFT City towards North.

Controversy

Near Thaltej Gam on western side, 300-odd shop owners opposed the land acquisition while the officials said that there is need of huge land for depot and parking for the project. The land acquisition is also opposed by the residents and shop owners of Jivraj Park, Vejalpur area. They have filed a case in Gujarat High Court.

Former IAS officer and executive chairman of project Sanjay Gupta and seven of his subordinate officers were accused while two of them were arrested in May 2015 for alleged committed fraud of ₹ 113 crore in procurement and use of ground filling materials for the project in 2012. Another case regarding procurement of 603 tons of TMT steel worth ₹ 2.62 crore which was never delivered is also being investigated.

The Comptroller and Auditor General has pointed out wasteful expenditure of ₹ 373.62 crore on earlier unapproved corridors.