Gandhinagar, March 11
The Gujarat government has placed an order for 34 new metro train sets for the Ahmedabad and Surat metro rail projects, with officials saying the additional rolling stock will increase service frequency on the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar corridor and support the expansion of urban rail in the state.
Of the total order, 10 train sets are meant for the Ahmedabad Metro Phase-2 project, while 24 will be deployed for the upcoming Surat Metro system.
The train sets are being manufactured at Titagarh's manufacturing facility in Kolkata.
Officials said the procurement forms part of efforts to strengthen public transport infrastructure in Gujarat and is expected to support employment and skill development in the manufacturing sector while reducing dependence on imports.
The additional trainsets for Ahmedabad Metro Phase-2 will be used on the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar corridor, where a 68.2-km metro network is already operational.
At present, 32 train sets are in service on the corridor.
Officials said the addition of 10 more train sets will help increase train frequency, reduce passenger waiting times and improve overall service capacity for commuters travelling between the two cities.
Metro services in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar were initiated following plans drawn up during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister.
The Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project Phase-1 and Phase-2 have since been implemented under the present state government led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, with metro services now used by a large number of commuters across the twin cities.
Meanwhile, construction of the Surat Metro project is progressing on a 40.3-km network.
The state government has ordered 24 train sets for the system, which is expected to serve the city's growing population and provide an alternative to road-based transport once operational.
According to officials, the expansion of metro services is part of a broader plan to strengthen urban mobility across Gujarat.
The state currently has about 108 km of operational metro rail network, and this is projected to expand to around 190 km in the coming years.
The proposed expansion includes a planned 6.04-km airport line intended to improve connectivity.
Authorities are also considering proposals to introduce metro rail services in other major cities in the state, including Rajkot and Vadodara, as part of efforts to extend modern public transport systems to more urban centres.
Officials said the new metro systems will be equipped with driverless technology designed to improve operational efficiency and safety.
The train sets will include systems for real-time monitoring, automated braking, optimised speed control and fault diagnostics.
Passenger safety features will include CCTV surveillance, fire detection systems, fail-safe door operations and obstacle detection mechanisms.
The state government has also been pursuing several other transport infrastructure projects, including the high-speed rail corridor passing through Gujarat and a locomotive manufacturing facility at Dahod that is expected to produce 9,000 horsepower engines.
Officials said such projects form part of wider efforts to expand rail-based transport and modernise infrastructure in the state.
- IANS
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