Metro Rail Project for Jammu and Kashmir is expected to be completed by 2024 and will cost a whooping Rs.10,599 Crores, after the Union Government gave it a green signal.
Notably, the Jammu and Kashmir government had submitted a Detailed Project Reports (DPR) of Rs 10, 599 crore for the metro rail projects in Jammu and Srinagar to the centre for the approval.
Both projects are expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
Earlier, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had raised some observations on the passengers per hour per direction (PHPDT) figures and feasibility of the Light Rail Metro system in view of the economic viability. Following this, RITES Ltd shared a revised DPR and recommended Metrolite instead of Light Rail Metro.
Of Rs 10,599 crore, the requested support for Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funding includes Rs 5,734 crore for Srinagar and Rs 4,825 crore for Jammu.
Metro Details
On completion, Srinagar and Jammu will become the first two non-major cities in India to have the rapid transport network functional.
As per the project, Jammu Light Metro will operate 17 hours a day round the year while Srinagar Light Metro will operate daily during summers and 14 hours daily during winters.
The metro rail lines will have only elevated corridors as the underground tunnels were not found feasible. The coaches of the Metrolite system will be modern, lightweight and made from stainless steel and aluminum with an air-conditioning system, as per the DPRs.
The Jammu Light Rail System will have a 23-kilometre length with 22 stations between Bantalab and Bari Brahmana whereas Srinagar light rail system will have a 25-kilometre length which includes a 12.5-kilometre length from Indira Nagar to HMT Junction and 12.5-kilometer length from Hazuri Bagh to Osmanabad with 24 stations (12 stations on each corridor).