The Pink City’s proposed metro rail project appeared to be on the tracks with the State Government over the weekend approving the detailed project report (DPR) prepared in consultation with the experts of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.
The DPR of the first phase of the project, with two corridors of 17.35 kms and 11.20 kms respectively, was unveiled here in the presence of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Urban Development Minister Shanti Dhariwal.
“We are ready with the initial stage of the project. For this to move any further the approval of the Centre is required,” said Mr. Gehlot who interacted with the media persons on the occasion. The State will soon be submitting the DPR and CMP (Comprehensive mobility plan) of the project to the Central authorities.
“Our team is ready with the DPR almost on time as the deadline set was December 31,” noted Mr.Dhariwal. A company has been set up for the metro and the directors are also appointed. “Now we have to choose the model of the company from one of the existing metro systems including Delhi Metro,” he pointed out.
Once approved, the Centre would bear 20 per cent of the estimated total cost of Rs. 7503 crores of the project. The State has to spend another 20 per cent from its side while the remaining 60 per cent has to come from various funding agencies including Japanese Bank, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.
The 17.35 km North-South Corridor of the Jaipur Metro linking Durgapura and Amba Bari areas of the city, is expected to be complete by November 2013. The 11.20 km East- West Corridor, between Mansarovar and Walled City’s Bari Chaupar, is expected to be commissioned by December 2014.
The North- South Corridor will have 18 stations including the main bus terminal Sindhi Camp and Sawai Man Singh Hospital of which 13 will be elevated and the remaining, underground. The East- West Corridor has in all 11 stations including those at the Jaipur Railway Station, Civil Lines and Walled City’s old landmarks such as Chandpole, Choti Chaupar and Bari Chaupar. Eight of them will be elevated and three, underground. The first phase will have depots at Mansarovar and Durgapura.
The coaches for the new metro system, which would be further improved in technology than those of the Delhi Metro, would be procured on the basis of a global tender. The new metro’s tracks would be of “standard gauge” unlike in the Delhi Metro which is of broad gauge. “Now the trend the world over in metro systems is to have standard gauge,” observed Rajasthan Principal Secretary, G.S. Sandhu.
The proposed metro train’s speed will be a maximum of 80 kms per hour and an average of 30 km. Its transport capacity will be 25,000 to 50,000 persons during the peak hour. The system will have a dozen trains initially in the two corridors. Each train will have four coaches of the capacity of 247 passengers each.
