Jaipur: The Union cabinet Wednesday gave the green light to the much-anticipated Jaipur Metro Phase II project, which will extend the city’s metro network by an additional 41-km with a North-South corridor connecting Prahladpura in Sitapura with Todi Mod. The approval, made during a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comes with a hefty investment of nearly Rs 13,038 crore.PM Modi announced the project on his official X handle, emphasising its potential to improve connectivity across several key areas of Jaipur, including the Sitapura Industrial Area, Vishwakarma Industrial Area, Jaipur Airport and SMS Hospital, among others. The new metro corridor will include a total of 36 stations, including underground stations near Jaipur airport. The implementation of the project will be overseen by the Rajasthan Metro Rail Corporation LTD (RMRCL) under a 50:50 joint venture partnership between the Govt of India and the Govt of Rajasthan. Metro officials have portioned the 41-km corridor into seven phases, with plans to appoint separate contractors for each phase so that construction on all phases can be carried out simultaneously.Currently, the operational Phase I of Jaipur Metro, which spans roughly 11.6-km, serves an average of 60,000 passengers per day. Authorities anticipate that the completion of Phase II will lead to a significant increase in public transport ridership and a transition towards more sustainable commuting options. Officials said Phase II will be integrated with the Phase I through planned interchanges and feeder systems, creating a continuous metro network across the city.According to a press release from the Press Information Bureau, the Jaipur Metro Phase II project aligns with the Rajasthan Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Policy, 2025, and the proposed Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) reforms, and is in keeping with national goals for sustainable urban transport. Expected to be completed by Sept 2031, Jaipur Metro Phase II aims to reduce traffic congestion, lower vehicular emissions and enhance mobility for residents, workers, and tourists.
