Metro Rail to put India on the fast track

New Delhi, Jul 21: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Managing Director E Sreedharan today said at least seven major cities are already implementing their Metro Systems at a cost of more than Rs 31,000 crore.

After the success of Delhi's Metro System, 26 cities in the country are at various stages of planning and implementing the Metro System, he said.

Dr Sreedharan was speaking at the National Seminar on Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) organised by CII here.

''The 63 km long Mumbai line will cost Rs 10,600 crore, while the two lines at Bangalore covering 32 km would cost Rs 3,970 crore,'' he said.

The Hyderabad Metro will have three lines covering 60 km and will be implemented at a cost of Rs 5,500 crore. In Ahmedabad, where the metro will cover 40 km, the cost will be Rs 2600 crore.

Kolkata which already has one line will have a new 18.7 km line with a part of it running under the Hoolgy river and will cost Rs 3460 crore. The five km Chennai line is expected to cost Rs 5100 crore, Dr Sreedharan added.

While talking about the Metro System putting Delhi on the fast track, he also said, ''The second phase of the Delhi Metro will have a 40 km connecting line between the railway station and the new airport. This will reduce the travel time to 15 minutes and this line will be implemented before the Commonwealth Games commence in Delhi.''

UNI