Mumbai plan for city Metro

The MMRDA will prepare the document for one of the two corridors for Pune initially. According to Benjamin,the two corridors — Swargate to Pimpri-Chinchwad and Kothrud to Ramwadi — are nearly 17 kms each. “One km stretch will cost around Rs 250 crore and so a separate bid document was necessary to understand the cost factor,” he said. The document would look at factors like expenditure per kilometre,cost per passage,riders,increasing the utility of the various locations,added Benjamin.

With the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s draft report ready,PMC Commissioner Mahesh Zagade said he would hold a meeting of the stakeholders to discuss the process of raising funds. The cost estimation for the first phase of the project is around Rs 9,514 crore. There is also the cost of the land that the PMC would need to acquire for the project. Over 44.43 hectares is needed.

Another dilemma is which corridor will be taken up first. A senior officer said while Congress wanted the Kothrud corridor to be taken up first,NCP wanted Pimpri corridor. As per the DMRC report,the total master network for Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad is 75 km and can be completed by 2014.

If all goes well,Pune will have its metro by May 30,2014. Under the DMRC model,the state and the central governments contribute 40 per cent of the funds,12 per cent comes from various taxes,6 per cent from development of commercial property,while loans and borrowings from market bring in 33 per cent. The rest will come from security deposits for land cost by the state government.