More delay likely as Gujarat government redraws metro route

Gujarat government has redrawn the metro rail route, which is likely to cause further delay in implementating the public transport project.
The metro rail project for Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar did not take off due to some reason or the other after the project was announced some five years ago.
"In a meeting to review the metro rail project held recently, we have redrawn the route. Now, the metro rail will connect South to North and West to Eastern parts of the city," Gujarat Finance Minister Nitin Patel, who is also the chairman of the high-powered committee for the implmentation of the metro rail project, said.

Earlier, as per the detailed project report sent to the Centre for its approval, the metro rail was to connect Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar and the city airport.
"The decision to change the route has been taken keeping in mind surveys conducted by experts and consultants appointed by Metro-Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad (MEGA) like household survey and traffic analysis," Patel said.
MEGA is a special purpose vehicle company floated to implement the project.
He said the detailed project report (DPR) of the earlier project was sent to union government but now a new DPR will be prepared and sent to the Centre.

He said the first phase of project connnecting all four sides of the city would be completed by 2018 at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore.