Guwahati metro rail on track

Detailed project report to be submitted to government in February next year

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Nov 15: With the ongoing feasibility study of the Guwahati metro rail project nearing completion, the detailed project report (DPR) is expected to be submitted to the Central government in February.

The DPR of the first phase of the 196-km metro rail project is being supervised by a 19-member monitoring-cum-advisory committee headed by the State's Chief Secretary.

After approving the concept paper and terms of reference for the project in July, 2013, the Urban Development ministry had sanctioned Rs 25 crore for the feasibility study in May this year.

The geotic survey and soil testing of the four corridors (totaling 65 km) of the first phase of the project is complete, officials said today. The four corridors of the first phase are: Dharapur-rengi (26 km), MG Road-Khapara (11 km), Jalukbari-Khapara (19 km) and Paltan Bazar-ISBT (9 km). The second and third phases of the project will connect neighbouring places like Jorabat, Tetelia, Hazo and Baihata Chariali.

The topography survey (regarding track and stations) is also complete in two corridors of the first phase. The average distance between each station will be around 1.2 km.

The survey of the proposed project also includes prelimiry exercises such as a study of the number of commuters in different areas of the city at different times of the day.

Three types of tracks are being considered - underground track, overground track and elevated track .The Khapara-Jalukbari route will have overground & elevated tracks because this route is not congested. The other two routes will be a combition of underground and elevated tracks.

The underground track will be laid at a depth of 100 to 125 feet.

The cost of the laying the overground track will be Rs 300 crore per km, while that of underground will be Rs 400 crore per km.