AHMEDABAD: The Union government has finally given its stamp of approval on the second phase of Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar metro connecting the financial capital of Gujarat with the state’s political and administrative capital. The second phase will connect Gandhinagar to Motera with the tracks starting from where the North-South corridor (APMC-Vasna to Motera) ends. The project cost of the Metro Phase II is Rs 5,523 crore.Sources in the government said that a meeting of the metro authorities and Public Investment Board (PIB) last week took up all Metro projects including those in Agra, Kanpur, Patna, Ahmedabad, and the RRTS between Delhi and Meerut.PIB approval is mandatory since the central government has equity in all metro projects executed by entities such as the DMRC, where the Union government and the concerned state have a 50-50 partnership.Highly placed government sources said that during the meeting with PIB the Metro phase II received final approval and the proposal was sent to the finance secretary for signing. “It is now just a formality. Once the PIB approves, the finance secretary too gives his approval,” said an officer close to the developments.He further said that the formal announcement is likely to be made when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the 6km stretch of the Metro from Vastral Gam to Apparel Park. Modi is likely to inaugurate the services in the second week of March.Metro officials said the Phase-II will connect important education institutes and other areas like Gujarat National Law University, Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University , Infocity, Gift City, Sachivalaya, Akshardham and will end at Mahatma Mandir, which is close to Gandhinagar railway station.The Rs 5,523 crore project will be nearly 28.5 km long and will have another line from GNLU linking PDPU and Gift City. The Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar stretch will have 20 stations excluding Motera which is the last station on the APMC-Motera North-South corridor.The officer said, “In order to achieve the maximum benefit, the DPR made in 2014 for Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project Phase-I projected that connectivity to Gandhinagar will be provided from the North-South corridor of Phase-I. Accordingly, the 2017 DPR has been prepared for Phase-II, which will connect Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.”According to the new metro rail policy announced in August 2017 by the government of India, MEGA authorities have also decided to extend the nearly 6km Metro into GIFT City . The 6km project will be taken up by GIFT City using the PPP model.Officials said that one station outside the GIFT City will be funded through the main project, but the cost of the 6km elevated corridor and three stations inside GIFT city will be borne by GIFT.Metro officials said the GIFT route was mentioned in the proposal and sent to the government of Gujarat, but as the Union government changed the policy, the GIFT route was included via PPP and a revised proposal was approved.

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