Gujarat has placed an order for 34 state-of-the-art metro train sets, including 10 sets for Ahmedabad Metro Phase-II and 24 sets for Surat Metro, the government announced on Wednesday.
These trains are being manufactured at Titagarh’s manufacturing facility in Kolkata.
While Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project Phase-1 and Phase-2 have been operationalised, under Ahmedabad Metro Phase-2, a 68.2-km metro rail network is already operational in the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar corridor with 32 train sets currently in service.
The addition of 10 more train sets will increase the frequency of trains, reduce waiting time, and provide a better travel experience for passengers, the government said.
“Currently, construction of the 40.3-km metro rail network in Surat is underway. An order has been placed for 24 train sets for Surat Metro, and upon completion, Surat will witness a significant expansion of sustainable urban transport. This development will ease connectivity, reduce congestion and prove beneficial for Surat’s growing urban population,” the government said in a statement.
Gujarat’s metro rail network, currently at 108 km, is expected to expand to 190 km in the coming years. This includes a previously planned 6.04 km Ahmedabad airport line. Additionally, proposals to extend metro rail services to other major cities such as Rajkot and Vadodara are also under consideration, with the aim of ensuring that the benefits of modern, efficient and environment-friendly transport reach more and more citizens across the state.
“The new metro systems in Gujarat will be equipped with state-of-the-art driverless technology, designed to ensure punctuality, safety and energy efficiency. These trains will feature real-time monitoring and automated braking systems, optimised speed profiles and intelligent fault diagnostics, guaranteeing reliable operations. In addition, passenger-centric enhancements such as CCTV surveillance, fire detection systems, fail-safe door operations and obstacle detection mechanisms will provide a safe and smooth travel experience to passengers. These innovative features will establish Gujarat’s metro trains as a model of modern, smart and sustainable urban transport,” the statement added.
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Ahead of 2030 Commonwealth Games, UK and Indian stakeholders meet in GandhinagarExpress News Service (Ritu Sharma)Gandhinagar, March 11As Ahmedabad prepares to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, the British Deputy High Commission in Ahmedabad, in collaboration with the Gujarat government, marked Commonwealth Day by hosting a roundtable on Tuesday that brought together stakeholders to discuss collaboration in sports infrastructure, innovation, and major events delivery.Several overseas representatives of companies were unable to attend the event due to uncertain flight schedules amid the ongoing conflict situation. However, their Indian counterparts participated in the discussions.
“The discussions focused on creating infrastructure that can continue to be used even after 2030,” said a participant representing a British firm.
On whether the current global situation could affect preparations for the Commonwealth Games, another UK participant said it was “too early to say” as the Games are still three years away.Speaking at a reception held later, British Deputy High Commissioner to Gujarat and Rajasthan Stephen Hickling said, “The Commonwealth’s greatest strength lies in diverse nations coming together to support one another. I am pleased to bring UK companies to Ahmedabad to understand the scale of Gujarat’s ambitions and explore how we can draw on the UK’s experience in delivering large-scale public and sporting events in collaboration with Indian partners.”
Minister of State for Sports, Youth and Cultural Activities Jayram Gamit attended the roundtable, which was held at the Grand Mercure hotel in GIFT (Gujarat International Finance-Tec) City.
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Other participants included Sports Authority of Gujarat Director General I. R. Vala, Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani, and representatives of the Gujarat Sports Infrastructure Development Board and consulting firms including Populous, Deloitte, PwC, EY, sports training centre Vijayi Bharat Foundation, educational institution Sanskardham and construction company PSP Projects Private Limited.
Participants from the UK side included representatives of infrastructure consulting firm AECOM, asset management and construction consultant Currie & Brown, infrastructure consultancy Buro Happold and Mott MacDonald, construction and consultancy firm Mace, architecture firm BDP and Scottish Development International.
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