JAIPUR: The urban development and housing (UDH) department has started search for land to facilitate the alignment of metro lines and construction of metro stations in Vidhyadhar Nagar.
On Thursday, deputy chief minister and finance minister Diya Kumari in the interim Budget announced extension of the proposed Line 2 of Jaipur Metro from Ambabari to Vidhyadhar Nagar.
Officials said they have to determine the location where the Line 2 would now end and find possible land to facilitate the alignment of the metro line from the proposed metro station at Ambabari Circle to Vidhyadhar Nagar.
“Our plan is to terminate the Line 2 of Jaipur Metro somewhere near the Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium. A terminus for buses coming from Sikar-side would also come up nearby. Besides locals, the metro line would help passengers of the buses and also the spectators of the stadium,” said a UDH department official.
Before floating a bid to rope in a firm to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Line 2, officials also need to finalise the number of additional stations to be constructed on the recently announced extended stretch that would cover a distance of 2.5 to 3 km.
“This is the third DPR of Line 2. First Delhi Metro Railway Corporation (DMRC) prepared a DPR but the Congress government decided to change it to reduce the cost of the project. Another private firm was hired. Due to some legal issues the agreement with this firm got cancelled. Finally, DMRC was roped in again to prepare another DPR that reduced the project cost from Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 4,600 crore,” said another official.
UDH officials are sure that the cost of the project would see a major hike in the new DPR. Not only because of the extension announced, but even there would be changes in alignments of the earlier announced stretch between Sitapura to Amabari. “The city infrastructure projects on Tonk Road had compelled us to change the alignments of the metro line. Another concern is land acquisition in Sitapura where the metro shed for this line is proposed. In March 2023 the state government had lost the legal battle,” a UDH official signed off.
