Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday held discussions with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation managing director E. Sreedharan on the proposed metro rail system for the Pink City. This was their second meeting after Mr. Gehlot invited him to Jaipur a few months ago to assess the city’s potential for construction of a metro rail network.
Things appeared to be progressing well as the two decided to get the detailed project report on the Jaipur Metro ready by December. Informed sources said the proposed metro would be of 30 km length with 10 km underground. The rail is likely to go underground in the crowded localities of the city including Mirza Ismail Road and the walled city areas. The total cost of the project is estimated at Rs.7,500 crore.
The first phase of the project will have the rail covering a portion of the walled city, the Sindhi Camp, the city’s main bus terminal, the railway station, going up to the housing colony, Mansarovar. “The project would catch momentum once the Centre approves our proposal,” said sources in the Chief Minister’s Office.
The State authorities are hopeful of starting work on the project at the beginning of 2010.
The State Government is also to decide on the finances for the project as well as the nature of the company which would undertake the construction of the metro and its running.
As for the finances, the Centre and the State would put in 20 per cent each of the total investment while the remaining 60 per cent would have to come from various financial agencies such as the World Bank, ADM and Japanese Bank. Mr. Sreedharan had a round of the city in the morning along with officials of the Jaipur Development Authority.
