Kamal Nath lays foundation stone for Jaipur metro project

Jaipur, Feb 24 (PTI) Union Urban Development MinisterKamal Nath today the Centre will initiate programmes for theintegrated development of the city and other places inRajasthan as he laid foundation stone for the Jaipur Metroproject.

"We expect that Jaipur metro will be completed as soonas possible and thereafter new projects would be required foran integrated development of the city otherwise the operationof metro rail will have no mean," he said while layingfoundation stone for the metro project here.

"Jawahar Lal Nehru Nehru Urban Renewal Mission haschanged the developmental scenario in the last six years andwe are looking forward to new reforms. The union governmentwill also extend its full support to the cities, town andlocal bodies of Rajasthan in initiating developmental works,"Nath said.

Emphasising on cleanliness of the cities, the Ministersaid, the government will prioritise garbage disposal in theupcoming schemes under JLNNURM. "Collective efforts are neededto make our cities and town clean and garbage free. Under theJawahar Lal Nehru Urban Mission in 12th plan, we would focusthis area and we ask for the state government also to givesuggestions that how it can be planned in an effectivemanner."Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlotsaid the project was necessary for the future.

"Opposition opposed the metro rail project saying whatwas the need to spend crores of rupees on the project when itwas likely that only few thousand people would travel throughthe train, but the population in next 20-25 years will surelyincrease and touch 75 lakh from the current 35 lakh. So it isnecessary to develop the city considering the need of future,"he said.

The 9.25 km long first stage from Mansarover toChandpole, having 3 underground and 8 elevated stations, isproposed to be completed by 2013. The second stage is fromChandpole to Badi Chaupad.

A metro coach was also displayed on the occasion wherethe state UDH Minister Shanti Dhariwal, state TransportMinister Brijkishore Sharma, MP Jaipur Mahesh Joshi, JaipurMayor Jyoti Khandelwal and officers were present.