GURUGRAM (Metro Rail News): By the first half of 2020 work on the extension of the metro line, connecting old and new Gurgaon, could begin. A revised plan, which now awaits approval from the Centre proposes a composite network without any interchange for Rapid Metro and the Gurgaon section of Delhi Metro.

Earlier this year, the Haryana government had the School of Planning and Architecture had submitted its report, on the basis of which a fresh detailed project report (DPR) was prepared, for metro extension in September. But the exit of Rapid Metro Rail Gurgaon Limited (RMGL) meant the plan had to be revised.

Earlier this month the new plan was prepared, approved by the board of directors of the Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation and the state government, and now awaits approval from the Centre.

The 31-km metro line will be extended up to Rapid Metro station opposite Ambience Mall. Here, instead of making interchange point the metro will run on the same line as the Rapid Metro. The previous DPR had proposed six interchange points in the 25 new metro stations. That has been done away with. Except for these, there are no major changes in the revised plan.

“Parts of the plan had to be modified after RMGL’s exit. The new DPR has not introduced any big changes, only minor tweaks. The plan has been sent to the government for approval,” a senior Gurgaon Municipal Development Authority (GMDA) official said, adding, “It is too early to commit to a deadline, but work on the project is expected to begin soon.”

Tenders for the project could be floated by January or February after approval from the government. The metro station after Huda City Centre, the last station on the Yellow Line now, will be Sector 45. It will go on to Cyber Park, connect Udyog Vihar Phase 6, Palam Vihar and continue onwards till Cyber City Station — 25 stations in all — as proposed in the previous plan. Upon completion, new and old Gurugram will be connected by metro — a relief for commuters from Udyog Vihar, Hero Honda Chowk, and even new Gurugram.

The final plan, prepared by the Haryana Mass Rapid Transit Corporation, is to connect old Gurugram and new Gurugram with a metro loop. With the Regional Rapid Transit System being developed simultaneously, most metro stations will be developed into multi-modal transit points.