Project-SMART

May 9, 2023

The “Station Area Development along Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail” project has been approved by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA), and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Ministry of Railways. The project aims to develop the areas surrounding the high-speed railway stations along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Railway (MAHSR) route to promote economic activities and improve accessibility and convenience for commuters and other stakeholders.

Four High-Speed Rail Stations to be Developed

Under the MoU, four high-speed rail stations – Sabarmati, Surat, Virar, and Thane – out of the twelve stations in the route will be developed. Sabarmati is a brownfield development, while Surat, Virar, and Thane are greenfield developments. This means that Sabarmati has existing infrastructure that needs to be improved, while Surat, Virar, and Thane will have to be built from scratch.

The Aim of the Project

The Station Area Development along Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project aims to enhance the institutional capacity of state governments, municipal corporations, and urban development authorities to plan, develop and manage the surrounding areas of MAHSR stations. The project will also contribute to the development of “Station Area Development Plans” for the four high-speed rail stations.

Cities to Host Seminars and Field Visits

MoHUA, together with the governments of Gujarat and Maharashtra and JICA, will arrange a sequence of seminars and site visits in Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai for the Project-SMART. The primary session of the series was held on May 8, 2023, at Nirman Bhawan in New Delhi, with the presence of personnel from the Japan Embassy, JICA HQ, JICA India Office, JICA specialists’ team, Ministry of Railway, National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited, MoHUA, and TCPO.

Potential of the Project

The “Station Area Development along Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail” project has the potential to transform the areas around the high-speed rail stations into bustling economic centres. The development of high-speed rail stations can attract more people to the area, which in turn can lead to the growth of businesses, employment opportunities, and infrastructure. Additionally, the project can lead to an improvement in the standard of living for the people living in the surrounding areas of the high-speed rail stations.

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