Foundation stone laid for new metro line connecting 27 stations in Gurugram

Gurugram, Sep 5 (PTI) Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday participated in the foundation laying ceremony of a new metro line connecting 27 stations in Gurugram.

Addressing an event after the 'bhoomi pujan', Khattar said the 28.5 km-long metro corridor from Millennium City Centre via Cyber City up to Dwarka Expressway will cost around Rs 5,500 crore.

The stations are planned at Subhash Chowk, Hero Honda Chowk, Udyog Vihar, Palam Vihar, among others and the project will be completed in four years. The metro line will give Gurugram a distinct identity, said Khattar, a former chief minister of Haryana.

He also said metro extension plans -- Rejangla Chowk to Dwarka Sector-21, Sector-56 to Pachgaon -- and the Namo Metro Corridor between Delhi-Karnal, Delhi-Neemrana, and Gurugram-Noida via Faridabad will improve connectivity between Gurugram and Delhi and the entire National Capital Region.

Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Khattar further announced that the Union government will provide 10,000 buses at concessional rates across the country, out of which 450 will be allotted to Haryana, including 100 buses dedicated to Gurugram.

The BJP leader said that metro services have expanded exponentially since 2014, A decade ago, just five cities had metro connectivity covering 248 km, but now the network has increased to 1,066 km across 24 cities, with another 970 km metro service in the pipeline, he said.

Once completed, India will emerge as the world's number one country in metro service, Khattar added.

The foundation-laying ceremony was organised by Gurugram Metro Rail Limited at the Gurugram University Campus Auditorium on Friday.

Khattar added that to improve last-mile connectivity, transport facilities linked with metro stations will be made available through an app-based system, which will ensure safety and allow fare payments through metro cards, eliminating parking issues.

According to an official statement, the event was presided over by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, and Khattar was the chief guest. Haryana Industries and Commerce Minister Rao Narbir Singh, Gurugram MLA Mukesh Sharma, Sohna MLA Tejpal Tanwar and Pataudi MLA Bimla Chaudhary also attended the event.

Addressing the gathering, CM Saini said, "This metro service will benefit every citizen by reducing traffic congestion, saving travel time, decreasing pollution, and creating new employment opportunities." The chief minister said Gurugram has become one of India's most important economic centres, housing major IT, BPO, startups, and automobile companies.

He said Gurugram is home to more than 250 'Fortune 500' companies, and most of Haryana's 19 unicorns are also based in the city. Lakhs of people from across the country and the world come to Gurugram in search of employment, business, and opportunities, Saini added.

Once a small village, Gurugram today is known worldwide as the Millennium City and ranks third in per capita income in India, after Chandigarh and Mumbai.

Haryana minister Rao Narbir Singh described the Gurugram Metro Rail expansion project as a historic step for the city's development and people's convenience.

He said the project will not only provide safe, fast and comfortable travel but also help in controlling pollution and easing traffic jams.

It will become a strong base for Gurugram's socio-economic progress, giving new impetus to industrial and business activities and boosting investment opportunities, he added.

Gurugram MLA Mukesh Sharma termed the occasion a proud moment for the city. He said the metro corridor will connect old and new Gurugram, making daily travel more convenient for residents and providing the city with a modern transport network. PTI COR SHS SHS SKY SKY