The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International airport that handles over 35,000 passengers daily will soon be connected with Ahmedabad Metro services after a ₹1,800 crore-plan for a new metro route has been sent to the Modi-government for approval.
Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC) which is constructing both the Ahmedabad and Surat metro projects has prepared a Detailed Project Report or DPR for this new route that will connect the airport to Ahmedabad Metro.
“Under Phase-2B, we have proposed to link the Ahmedabad airport with Ahmedabad Metro. A final proposal has been sent to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and a sanction is pending. The project is around six kilometers long and will cost an estimated ₹1800 crore,” a senior official of GMRC told businessline. GMRC is a 50:50 venture of the centre and state government.
This six-kilometer stretch will have four metro stations. Three of these stations will be elevated while the metro station at the Ahmedabad airport will be underground. “We do not wish to disturb the skyline at the airport and so about one kilometer of this route near the airport will be constructed underground,” a senior GMRC official added. The new route will branch off from Motera, near Narendra Modi stadium, and will directly connect the airport via Koteshwar and Koba.
The Phase-1 of the Ahmedabad Metro costing ₹12,700 crore is already functional since September 2022, except a 1.4 kilometer under construction route between Thaltej and Thaltej Gam. The Phase-II of the project costing ₹5384 crore was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2024. However, only 21 of the 28-kilometer-long Phase-II section is currently operational. The rest is under construction.