Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lay the foundation stone for the Gurugram Metro in a virtual ceremony on February 16 from Rewari. The event will also include the ground-breaking ceremony for AIIMS Rewari. Although the Dwarka Expressway’s much-anticipated inauguration will not occur during this visit, officials indicate it is expected to take place at the end of February or the beginning of March.
Approved by the Union Cabinet in June 2023, the Gurugram Metro project aims to provide connectivity from Huda City Centre to Cyber City with a spur to Dwarka Expressway. Despite the lack of progress since approval, the 28.5km elevated metro corridor with 27 stations is a significant development. The metro trains, with a designated speed of 80 kmph, will operate at an average speed of 34 kmph. The Haryana government plans to establish a corporation, akin to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), for project execution.
The estimated cost of the metro project is Rs 5,452.7 crore, funded by the Union government, state government, local bodies, and loans. The PM’s event is expected to catalyze progress, and the initial ridership is projected to be around 5 lakh, increasing to 7.3 lakh by 2031.
Notably, the Dwarka Expressway inauguration will occur separately at the end of February or the beginning of March. Gurgaon currently has 17km of metro corridors, including the Delhi Metro’s Yellow Line and the Rapid Metro’s 11.7km stretch, with no expansion since 2017.