The Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Phase 1 of Ahmedabad Metro and also took a ride on it.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Union Minister Hardeep Puri.
The Phase 1 of the Ahmedabad Metro is 40 kilometers long, of which 6.5 kilometers is underground and the remaining 33.5 kilometers stretch is elevated. There are 32 stations along the Phase 1.
The Phase 1 of the project was approved in October 2014, and construction started in March 2015.
There are two corridors in the Ahmedabad metro system, one is from Vastral to Thaltej Gam and the other from Gyaspur depot to Motera stadium.
The costs for the metro is close to INR₹ 22,000 crore, of which the centres share is 50 percent.
The Union Cabinet had earlier also approved the Phase 2 of Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project in February 2019. The Phase 2 project will be just over 28 kilometers long.
There was enough controversy in the construction of the metro line. Over 300 shop owners opposed land acquisition. They filed a case in the Gujarat High Court, and only after the settlement in 2017 did construction begin in some areas.
The CAG pointed out wasteful expenditure of INR₹ 373.62 crore on earlier unapproved corridors and IAS officer and project in charge Sanjay Gupta were accused of committing fraud of over INR₹ 113 crore.
