The construction work for Phase-1 of the Rs 12,020-crore Surat Metro rail project has begun after tenders worth over Rs 3,002 crore for various civil works, including those for the underground section, were awarded by the Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC). Work has started on the 21.58-kilometre corridor between Sarthana and Dream city, officials of GMRC told The Indian Express. This is the longest of the two corridors being built under Phase-1 of the project. “Work has started on the elevated corridor between Dream city to Majura Gate and in the underground section between Kapodara and Chowk Bazaar,” officials said. GMRC has awarded tenders worth Rs 3,002 crore, including tenders for the underground section, which will be built at a cost of over Rs 1,870 crore. The first tender for building the 11.6-kilometre elevated section from Dream City to Chowk Bazar has been awarded to a joint venture between M/s Sadbhav Engineering Ltd and SP Singla Constructions Pvt Ltd. Work for the six-odd kilometres of the underground section, which is on the same corridor between Dream City and Sarthana, has been allotted in two packages. M/s JK Infra Projects have been awarded the contract to construct the underground section between Chowk Bazar to Surat Railway Station (3.6 km) at the cost of Rs 943 crore. A joint venture between Gulermark and Sam India Builtwell has been awarded a Rs 929-crore contract to build the underground section between Kapodara to Central Warehouse (3.46 kms). A fourth tender of Rs 350 crore has been awarded to M/s ITD Cementation India for constructing the Dream City Depot. The scope of work will also include construction of Operations Control Centre and metro Bhavan headquarters at Dream city. The Phase-1 of Surat Metro was sanctioned on June 6, 2019, for a total length of 40.35 kilometres. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone and conducted the bhoomi pujan virtually on January 18, 2021. The project consists of two elevated corridors with a total of 38 stations. The longest corridor of about 21.58 kilometres is between Sarthana and Dream city. This section with 20 stations also has 6.47 kilometres of underground network from Chowk Bazar to Labheshwar Chowk. The second corridor of 18.74 kilometres is between Bhesan and Saroli and has 18 stations. Of the Rs 12,020 crore needed for Phase-1 constructions, France’s AFD and Germany's KfW will provide a soft loan of Rs 5,434 crore, which will be 57 per cent of the total cost. The central and state governments will pitch in with Rs 1,487 crore each. The Phase-1 of the project is targeted to be completed by March 2024. Over 676 families are expected to be affected by the Surat Metro project and the GMRC has sanctioned Rs 375 crore for rehabilitation work. “The on-site identification and finalisation of affected families are in process. The actual number of affected families will be calculated after the finalisation of alignment, on-site demarcation and detailed site survey,” said GMRC officials.
