Destination A'bad: Global infra giants eye metro project

AHMEDABAD: The Rs 11,000-crore Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar metro rail project has started attracting infrastructure biggies from across the globe. Nearly half a dozen leading infrastructure firms have shown interest in the project which, at a later stage, aims to link Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar with Dholera.

French firm Veolia Transport, Japan's Marubeni Corporation consortium, Bombardier- Delhi Metro

Rail Corporation (DMRC) consortium and Indian infrastructure major L&T are among the companies that have come forward to develop the project.

While the state government through Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board ( GIDB) has mandated DMRC to prepare a detailed project report for the project, Gujarat Urban Development Corporation has been nominated as the nodal agency for implementing the project.

"The companies have come up with their own models. Various structures, including the public private partnership format, are being evaluated. The government will finalise a PPP model in some time," said a government official. The project is likely to be implemented within three years once the work starts.

The metro, which would be designed to carry 40,000 passengers per hour — an estimated 17 lakh commuters are expected to use the service daily by 2031 — would connect Vasna to Akshardham via Ashram Road, Koba Circle (32.65 km) with 31 stations, and Ahmedabad junction to Thaltej via Delhi Darwaja (10.90 km) with 11 stations, in the first phase.

Veolia, which manages several transport systems across the world including the Paris Metro, wants to build the project through its Indian subsidiary, Veolia Transport RATP India Pvt Ltd. In Asia, Veolia Transport RATP operates the Seoul metro line, Hong Kong tramway and will operate India's first private metro system, Mumbai Metro Line.

Marubeni is one of the many Japanese companies interested in Gujarat, which falls along the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. Bombardier already manufactures coaches for the Delhi Metro in Gujarat.

A leading UK-based company, which has built metro projects across the world, too has shown interest in the project.

A tender to this effect was recently issued in the local newspapers.

As per AUDA’s plans, the lakes in the three towns will be beautified by constructing and strengthening sidewalls, developing gardens, walkways and entertainment facilities for the people.

AUDA Chairman Dharmendra Shah told The Indian Express that water bodies will become dirty ponds in the absence of any beautification.

Since each town requires entertainment facilities, it had been decided to beautify the lakes and create entertainment facilities for the people. He said it will reduce pressure on the gardens and lakes in Ahmedabad, which were already hugely crowded, particularly on the weekends and other holidays.

He said AUDA was also constructing major roads in Dahegam, Mahemdabad, Sanand, Bareja and Kalol at a cost of Rs 15 crore to develop them as satellite townships.

Shah said these towns, located 30 to 40 kms from Ahmedabad, could be the ideal locations for checking migration. Since new industries were coming up near these towns, providing infrastructure facilities could help people settle down there rather than live in Ahmedabad and shuttle between the two places.