The Union ministry of housing and urban affairs has given approval for the Tricity metro project, a month after it received the comprehensive mobility plan (CMP), mention media reports. The ministry has requested the Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) to prepare a detailed phase-wise project report (DPR) for further consideration of funds. The project received a green signal nearly 14 years after it was first proposed.
The upcoming mass rapid transport system (MRTS) is expected to boost connectivity and reduce road traffic congestion in the Tricity area of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula. The metro corridor will mostly run overground.
According to media reports, the first phase of the Tricity Metro Network has been expanded from the earlier planned 66 kilometre (km) to 77 km. During a meeting between the governments of Punjab and Haryana, along with representatives from the Chandigarh administration, it was decided that the task of creating a DPR and an annual analysis report for the project to RITES will be assigned.
According to the new plan, the Tricity Metro network under Phase 1 will cover 35 km in Chandigarh, 11 km in Panchkula and 31 km in Mohali/ New Chandigarh. More areas will be included in Phase 1.
An addition of 11 km with 6 km from Paroul in New Chandigarh to Sarangpur, and around 5 km from Panchkula ISBT to Panchkula Extension in Sector 20 have been approved under the metro project. These were earlier part of phase 2.
The Punjab Government has offered a financial contribution of Rs 1.37 crore as the state’s share for the DPR of the Tricity Metro project. As per media reports, a senior UT official has said that Haryana was expected to pay its share within a week. The total cost of the DPR is around Rs 6.5 crore, according to RITES. The report will be ready by March 2024. Subsequently, further approvals will be taken. The DPR will entail cost estimates, financials, design specifications, institutional arrangements and a detailed implementation plan for the most feasible MRTS mode.
According to the alignment option report by the Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES), the 114-km proposed Tricity metro network will mostly feature elevated tracks and stations. The report, which was submitted to the UT administration on December 11, 2023, has listed three corridors as part of Phase 1, criss-crossing through Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula. Of these, the one along the Madhya Marg will be completely elevated and the other two will be mostly elevated and partly underground.
Work on the Phase 1 work is expected to start in April 2024 and likely to be completed by 2034. The alternative analysis report (AAR) and detailed project report (DPR) are expected to be ready by January 2024.
Chandigarh Tricity Metro: Quick facts
| Operated and managed by | Chandigarh Metro Rail Corporation |
| Total length | 114 km |
| Cities covered | 35 km in Chandigarh, 31 km in Mohali/New Chandigarh and 11 km in Panchkula |
| Estimated cost | Rs 10,570 crore |
| Phases | 2 Phases |
| Stations | 30 |
| Number of corridors | 5 corridors |
| Project type | Rapid Transit |
| To be operational in | 2034 |
Chandigarh Tricity Metro: Latest news updates
Tricity Metro project to be extended by 6.15 km
July 22, 2024: The proposed underground network of the Chandigarh Metro project, which was earlier limited to the northern sectors and core heritage grade-1 areas, will now be extended to southern areas of the city, according to a TimesNow report. The recommendation was made by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in a letter to various project stakeholders. Earlier, the MoHUA had approved the construction of metro lines underground in heritage sectors (1 to 30) to preserve the city’s historical significance.
Further, the Tricity Metro project was initially planned to cover 79.5 kilometre (km), but now the metro network will be extended to 85.65 km with the addition of 6.15 km, as per a TOI report. The length has been extended along two routes – from the Zirakpur bus stand to Panchkula and from Sukhna Lake to Sector 43.
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Chandigarh Tricity Metro Line to get 2-Coach Metro Rail
March 19, 2024: A two-coach Metro network will be introduced on the Tricity Metro line under the proposed mass rapid transit system (MRTS) project, according to media reports. The revised alignments released by the Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) were approved by all stakeholders.
Chandigarh Tricity Metro: Overview
The Chandigarh Metro project has received approval from the UT administration. The construction work on the metro project has not yet started as it is in the planning stage. Once operational, the metro network will provide connectivity to the three cities – Panchkula, Mohali and Chandigarh.
Chandigarh Tricity Metro: Project length
| Phase | Length | Route |
| Phase 1 | 34 km | Paraul (New Chandigarh)-Sarangpur-ISBT Panchkula to Panchkula Extension |
| Phase 1 | 42 km | Rock Garden to Zirakpur ISBT via Industrial Area and Airport |
| Phase 1 | 13 km | Grain Market Chowk, Sector 39 to Transport Chowk, Sector 26 |
| Phase 2 | 5 km | Airport Chowk to Manakpur Kallar |
| Phase 2 | 20 km | ISBT Zirakpur to Pinjore |
Chandigarh Tricity Metro: Route details
The upcoming metro corridor will cover a distance of around 39 kilometre (km). It will exclude the heritage sectors from Sector 1 to Sector 30. The final metro network has been planned under two phases, covering Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula, Zirakpur, New Chandigarh and Pinjore. There will be around 30 stations in the metro network.
Phase 1
In the first phase, which is expected to be developed between 2027 and 2037, the corridor will run along several key routes from Parol Sarangpur to Panchkula ISBT of 29 km, Rock Garden to Zirakpur ISBT via Mohali Industrial Area and the Chandigarh airport of 35 km and from Grain Market Chowk in Sector 39 to Transport Nagar in Sector 26 of 13 km.
The third corridor between Sector 26 and Sector 39 will be full elevated. Most of the tracks and stations in the first two corridors will be elevated, while some parts will be underground.
Phase 2
In the next phase, slated for development after 2037, there will be four additional routes. These routes include Airport Chowk to Manakpur Kallar of five km and Zirakpur ISBT to Pinjore ISBT of 20 km. The corridors are likely to be mostly elevated.
Chandigarh Tricity Metro Project: Cost
The Chandigarh metro project is being developed at an estimated cost of Rs 10,570 crore. For the project funding, 20% would be paid by the states, 20% by the Centre, and the remaining 60% by the lending agency.
According to media reports, RITES had earlier recommended the Tricity metro project in its initial report prepared in 2009. However, the Union Home Ministry rejected the proposal in 2017 citing the city’s size and financially unfeasible cost of Rs 14,000 crore.
Chandigarh Tricity Metro: Project timeline
- 2009: The Chandigarh Metro Rail Project was proposed
- 2012: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) submitted the DPR of the project to Punjab Governor and UT administrator Shivraj Patil on August 16, 2012.
- 2015: Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Government, the UT of Chandigarh, the Government of Punjab and Government of Haryana was signed in July 2015.
- 2023: The Chandigarh Tricity metro received approval from the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs.
Chandigarh Tricity Metro: Real estate impact
The Chandigarh Tricity Metro project has been planned to provide efficient publish transportation to the residents in the city and the neighbouring towns of Panchkula and Mohali (New Chandigarh). The metro route will pass through important landmarks, including bus terminals, airports, road links and other depots.
The metro line from Rock Garden to ISBT Zirakpur via Chandigarh will enable quick and easy access to Chandigarh Airport. It will also reduce traffic congestion on the roads and provide an alternative route to reach the airport. Moreover, the metro corridor will pass through Chandigarh Industrial Area, which is expected to boost the real estate developments in the region. Further, residential properties will also see an increase in demand as the areas along with corridors are likely to attract home seekers. This will also result in a significant rise in property price.
New Chandigarh, a smart city in Mohali district of Punjab, is expected to see significant rise in demand for properties with the upcoming infrastructure development. The city is linked to major roads such as Dakshin Marg and Madhya Marg in Chandigarh. These cover Sectors 11, 14, 15, 17, 18 and 22. The metro network is expected to ease connectivity in these areas.
FAQs
What is the Metro plan of Tricity?
Covering a total of 89 km, the first phase includes three routes, which includes 34-km section Paraul (New Chandigarh)-Sarangpur-ISBT Panchkula to Panchkula Extension, 42 km section from Rock Garden to Zirakpur ISBT via Industrial Area and Airport and 13-km section from Grain Market Chowk, Sector 39, to Transport Chowk, Sector 26.
Is Metro coming to Chandigarh?
The Chandigarh metro project has been planned to provide connectivity to the cities of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula.
What is the cost of Chandigarh metro project?
The Chandigarh metro project is being developed at an estimated cost of Rs 10,570 crore.
When will the Chandigarh metro project be ready?
The Chandigarh metro project is expected to be ready by January 2024.
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