JAIPUR (Metro Rail News): Jaipur Metro Line 1 is now targeted for full operation by March-April 2028, more than a decade after its first section opened. The latest phase of work will extend the corridor towards Transport Nagar, with tunnel boring now underway beneath the historic Walled City.

Jaipur Metro Phase 1C extension enters tunnelling phase

Rajasthan Chief Secretary V Srinivas launched tunnel boring machine (TBM Pratap) operations at Galta Gate on Friday for the underground section connecting Galta Gate and Badi Chaupar. The work forms part of the ₹1,511 crore Jaipur Metro Phase 1C extension, which will take the existing corridor east towards Transport Nagar. The tunnel will run for around 3.5 km, entering the Walled City from Delhi Road. Srinivas said excavation could finish within the next five to six months.

The underground alignment is intended to limit the impact on the historic area. Jaipur Metro Railway Corporation (JMRC) CMD Vaibhav Galriya said concerns over heritage structures had eased after the plan shifted away from an elevated alignment. JMRC has also dropped its earlier proposal for a station at Ramganj Chaupar inside the Walled City. Instead, the Galta Gate and Transport Nagar stations will be located along Delhi Road. The change follows earlier concerns from UNESCO over the project proceeding without the required heritage impact assessment.

Mansarovar-200 Feet Bypass section gets earlier deadline

While the Transport Nagar extension remains under construction, the Rajasthan government has set an earlier target for the Mansarovar-200 Feet Bypass Crossing section. Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation (JMRC) expects this stretch to open by June 2027, Galriya said.

The full Jaipur Metro Line 1 corridor is targeted for completion by March-April 2028. The timeline means the metro line will take nearly 13 years to reach its planned extent after services began in 2015.

A phased expansion over more than a decade

Jaipur Metro’s first services began on June 3, 2015, between Mansarovar and Chandpole. Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje flagged off the initial section. The corridor was subsequently extended to Badi Chaupar, with former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot inaugurating the section on September 23, 2020.

The next stage will push the line towards Transport Nagar, extending metro access through the eastern side of Jaipur. The project’s progress now depends on completing underground construction and delivering the remaining sections within the revised schedule.

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