JAIPUR: Construction of the second phase of the Jaipur Metro, a project estimated to cost Rs 13,037.66 crore, is gathering pace after nearly 15 years of waiting. The project aims to ease growing traffic congestion and strengthen public transport connectivity across the city.
The project involves the construction of elevated corridors as well as underground tunnels. A contract worth Rs 921.63 crore has been awarded for the underground section, around Rs 238.63 crore below the estimated cost. The work is scheduled to be completed within 36 months.
Once completed, Phase 2 is expected to connect different parts of Jaipur and provide an additional public transport option for the city's growing population.
A double tunnel will be constructed underground using a tunnel boring machine (TBM), presenting a new engineering challenge for Jaipur’s Metro project. To speed up construction, the project has been divided into separate packages. The first involves the construction of approximately 10.8 km of elevated corridor and 10 stations at a cost of around ₹918 crore. The second package covers approximately 3.13 km of underground construction, while the third also involves an elevated corridor.
The plan is to execute work across different sections simultaneously and complete the project within the stipulated timeframe.
The existing Jaipur Metro (Pink Line), which runs for approximately 11.64 km, has struggled to meet its initial ridership projections, carrying around 50,000 to 60,000 passengers daily.
Experts have criticised it as an expensive 'status symbol' rather than an economically viable project.With the completion of Phase 2, also known as the Orange Line, the Metro network will expand by approximately 41 km, creating a major north-south connection between Todi Mod and Prahladpura.
Unlike the first phase, the new corridor will pass through some of Jaipur’s most densely populated and important areas. It will provide direct connectivity to Jaipur International Airport, SMS Hospital, the Sitapura Industrial Area and Vidyadhar Nagar.
Interchange facilities and feeder transport systems will also be developed to connect the existing Metro network with the new corridor, allowing passengers to travel across the city through an integrated system.
Passengers will be able to switch between the two lines at Chandpole station. Urban transit studies indicate that Metro ridership tends to grow significantly when individual corridors are connected to form an integrated network.
The expanded network is expected to provide a new transport option for commuters travelling between industrial areas, commercial centres, medical institutions and residential neighbourhoods.
Financing the project will be another major challenge. The plan is to raise 60 per cent of the project cost through a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The remaining 40 per cent will be shared equally by the central and state governments, with each contributing 20 per cent.
For residents and daily commuters travelling along Tonk Road, Sikar Road and in areas such as Pratap Nagar, the expansion promises another option to navigate Jaipur’s increasingly congested roads. However, the benefits will take time to materialise.
Jaipur residents continue to rely heavily on two-wheelers and private cars, which often offer faster door-to-door journeys than travelling to and from a Metro station. Changing these commuting habits will depend on how effectively the expanded network connects residential areas with workplaces and other important destinations.
The city will have to contend with several years of construction activity before the new network becomes operational.
The project has an official completion target of September 2031. Until then, commuters can expect construction activity, traffic diversions and barricades, particularly along busy stretches such as Tonk Road, over the next five to six years.