Central govt non-committal on sanctioning of Jmu, Sgr metro
Acknowledging the proposal for multi-crore Jammu and Srinagar metro rail, the union government on Thursday clarified that there is no specified time limit for sanctioning the ambitious projects for the Union Territory.
In a written reply Sabha Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs MoHUA said in Lok Sabha said that proposal for Jammu and Srinagar Metrolite under consideration and there is no specified time limit for sanctioning the project.
“Proposals for metro rail in Jammu and Srinagar are with government at various stages of appraisal and approval of central financial assistance but therein is no time limit can be specified for sanction of metro rail projects,”MoHUA said.
“The metro rail projects are cost intensive which require extensive appraisal and approval process and their approval depends on the feasibility of the project and availability of resources. No time limit can be specified for sanction of metro rail projects,” the reply reads.
Earlier, more than 18 projects across 10 states and Union territories including the ambitious Jammu Metrolite project and Srinagar Meteorite in Jammu and Kashmir have been submitted to the government for financial assistance.
“The Jammu Metrolite has been proposed with 23 kilometers distance at Rs.4,069.48 crore and Srinagar Metrolite of 25 km at Rs.4,892.51crore,” the reply reads.
Pertinently, Jammu and Srinagar projects have been approved by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MoHUA)’s Public Investment Board (PIB) and it has been waiting for the nod of the Union Cabinet to go ahead.
After completion, Srinagar and Jammu will become the first two non-major cities in India to functionalize the rapid transport network. As per draft Detailed Project Report (DPR), Jammu Metrolite Rail System will have a 23 kilometers length with 22 stations between Bantalab and Bari Brahmana.
In contrast, the Srinagar light rail system will have a 25 kilometers length that includes a 12.5 kilometers length from Indira Nagar to HMT Junction and a 12.5 kilometers length from Hazuri Bagh Osmanabad with 24 stations (12 stations on each corridor).
The Jammu Light Metro will operate 17 hours a day round the year, while Srinagar Light Metro will operate daily during summers and 14 hours during winters.
The metro rail lines will have only elevated corridors as the underground tunnels are 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 elevated metro system will not only facilitate people but also have a positive impact on the economy and the quality of life, experts believe.
According to the DPRs, the metro coaches will be modern, lightweight and made from stainless steel and aluminum, with an air-conditioning system.
