Uttarakhand’s UMTA Approves Dehradun-Rishikesh-Haridwar Metro
Per Live Hindustan, Uttarakhand’s Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) on Thursday approved a Comprehensive Mobility Plan for the state that includes building the 73 km Dehradun – Rishikesh – Haridwar metro project.
The meeting was chaired by Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat where the group also decided to build a personal rapid transit (PRT) system within Haridwar city and two ropeway projects from Har Ki Paudi to Maa Chandi Devi Temple and Neelkanth Mahadev Temple (Kotdwar) to Rishikesh.
The 73 km elevated and at-grade metro project is estimated to cost Rs. 550 crore per kilometre and will be built by the Uttarakhand Metro Rail, Urban Infrastructure & Buildings Construction Corporation Limited (UKMRC).
Uttarkhand’s metro project will be built in two phases with two lines forming an interchange at Nepali Farm on the banks of Song River.
Phase 1 / Line-1: Haridwar – Rishikesh
- Length: 32 km
- Number of Stations: 10
- Route Description: In Haridwar, the line is proposed to start near Jatwara Bridge in Jwalapur (western Haridwar), will then pass through Haridwar city, run parallel to the Haridwar-Rishikesh Highway (NH-34) and terminate at Chandrabhaga bridge in Rishikesh.
Phase 2 / Line-2: Dehradun (ISBT) – Nepali Farm
- Length: 41 km
- Route Description: From Nepali Farm, the line will follow NH-7 to connect up with Dehradun city’s Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) via the Vidhan Sabha.
Here’s an indicative map of how both lines’ alignment will look like:
Back in December 2016, the Uttarakhand state government had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to prepare the project’s detailed project report (DPR).
Since then there’s been little movement on the project, so this development is highly encouraging. Next steps include finalizing the project’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) and getting it approved by all stakeholders to start pre-construction activities of seeking financing & acquiring land.
For more updates, check out the Uttarakhand section of The Metro Rail Guy!
– TMRG
Hat tip to Mohit Rathor
Will this be economical on the part of government?
Remains to be seen. Haven’t seen projected ridership figures, but I do imagine the Haridwar – Rishikesh route will have a better ridership figure / km over the other line.
I think there is a typo
550₹ per km is too cheap
I think the government wants to invite the light rail transit to the city.
Its obviously 550 crore per km. But then isn’t it too high. Elevated corridors cost around 300 crore per km to build. Even Delhi phase 3 metro built at 552 crore per km is considered costly.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Built-at-552-crore-per-km-Ph-III-a-costly-affair/articleshow/49511400.cms
Yeah, most likely a typo or incorrectly reported by Live Hindustan
Thanks – corrected it. Just 550 would have been perfect!
It has to be high speed corridor like RRTS to fully tap the potential
Wonder what the Start and Complete/Handover dates are? The information is not clear on that.
There is a 50 km existing electrified rail track between Dehradun and Haridwar. Has the capacity of that track been exhausted to require such a large investment of 73 x 550 crores?
After electrification the rail system can handle 18 coach rakes travelling at higher speeds. Clearly that system is more than sufficient. A good bus service would also add up, leading to a better utilisation of the already existing good roads. Where will permission for another linear project through Rajaji National Park come from?
The Metro paranoa is costing the country and the planet. Please introspect.
This project will attract vast tourism in view of Chardham and surrounding areas etc. Indian Railway will cater the passenger load at important destinations but metro will provide the accessible to the tourist points.
Govern visualize the vision for 10-20 years ahead and this project may fulfill to the extant possible which all state governments learned from the past projects at minimum projected figures.
Learn from the worldwide transport system where tourism flourished if public system is accessible and inconnected via Bus stand, railway station, air, highways.
Good decision by UTTARAKHAND State.
Going ahead for public service.