Work on Metro rail to begin next year

The registration process will gain pace after the state government issues a notification approving the project,he said. Pathak said the PMC will,through the SPV, push the project for nod from the Union government. The project implementation would begin in 2014,if both the registration process and setting of SPV is completed in the next three months. The SPV will have six members on the board and would include two secretaries from state urban development department,commissioners of PMC and PCMC,a secretary of finance and industries department. The Centre would appoint its own representatives too.

The PMC will have to get the project cleared from the Union finance ministry and the Planning Commission. Since 50 per cent of the project cost is expected to be a loan from international financial institutions,it will need clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs too.

The state government has approved 16.59 km-long route from Swargate to Pimpri-Chinchwad along with the revised proposal of 14.92 km of Metro rail route from Vanaz to Ramwadi. The project was proposed in 2006 and its approval was delayed due to various reasons.

The delay has led to an increase in the project estimates by Rs 2,199 crore for the two routes. As per the state government decision,the project cost for the two routes would be Rs 10,183 crore,including Rs 6,960 crore from Swargate to Pimpri-Chinchwad and Rs 3,223 crore for Vanaz to Ramwadi route till 2021. It was Rs 5,391 crore and Rs 2,593 crore,respectively,when it was proposed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation in 2009.

The Centre and state government would pay 20 per cent each of the project cost. The PMC and PCMC would contribute 10 per cent of cost for the part of the project that comes in their limits. The remaining 50 per cent would be raised through loan.