Cities with over 20 lakh population to get metro rail

Cities with a population of 20 lakh or more are being considered for modern mass rapid metro rail and feasibility studies have been ordered in this regard.

“We have already asked the state governments to conduct feasibility studies for metro rail projects in the cities with a population of 20 lakh or more,” Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath said replying to the debate on the Demand for Grants of Ministry of Urban Development for 2012-13.

At present the cities where the metro rail projects are at various stages of implementation include Hyderabad,Jaipur,Chennai,Chandigarh,Kochi and Mumbai.

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About the Kochi metro rail project,he said,a Cabinet proposal for it would be moved soon.

Replying to the demand of the Congress member J P Aggarwal on extension of the metro rail project in important locations in his North East Delhi constituency,Nath said a feasibility study on the metro link in that area is being conducted which will take another 5-6 months.

The minister said that feasibility studies of Mundaka-Bahadurgarh is also under consideration.

He pointed out that Delhi Metro’s total length would be 440 km after implementation of four phase of the project and it would be longer than London Metro.