Metro: Centre asks PMC to submit revised cost estimate

Revision to reveal the actual cost to be incurred on the first two lines; as per DMRC's 2008 report, current estimate is Rs 5,998 crore.

The Union government has directed the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to submit the revised cost estimate of the first two lines of the Pune Metro rail proposal that are to be taken up in the first phase. The Centre came up with the directive as it has been over four-and-a-half years that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) submitted the Pune Metro report and its project cost.

At the meeting attended by PMC and PCMC officials and Union Urban Development Ministry officials, the Union government directed the two local bodies to come up with the revised project cost of the two routes - Swargate to Pimpri-Chinchwad and Vanaz to Ramwadi.

The meeting took place after Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar along with MP and elected representatives of both the local civic bodies recently held discussions on the project with Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath.

The government officials also asked the civic officials to prepare time-bound schedule for seeking approvals required for various purposes for implementation of the Metro rail project. "The detailed time-table along with the revised cost is to be prepared by month end. The officers have been asked to get state government approval by February end and send it to the Union government by March," said a civic official.

The work on 16.6-km line from Swargate to Pimpri-Chinchwad and 14.93-km line from Vanaz to Ramwadi was to start by 2009 and the lines were to be made open for public by 2015. However, there was delay as the PMC approved it in 2010 and the state gave its nod only in 2012.

The estimated cost of the first phase which includes the two lines was Rs 5,998 crore as per the DMRC report. However, the revision would reveal the actual cost of the project as the DMRC submitted the report in 2008. The first line approval was delayed due to failure in consensus among the two local civic bodies on share of expenditure.

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