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The Haryana government is still deciding whether to change the design of the Sector 9 to Cyber City stretch of Gurgaon's Metro Phase-2 from an elevated track to an underground one. However, this change could make the project almost twice as costly and delay it by two to three years.
The Gurgaon Metro Rail Limited (GMRL), which is implementing the project, has prepared a report explaining the technical and financial impact of the proposed change.
Additional Cost of Elevated Metro
According to GMRL, the current cost of building an elevated metro is around ₹330-350 crore per kilometre. However, if it is built underground, it will increase to ₹600-650 crore per kilometre. Besides the higher cost, it will also slow down the process due to revised designs, fresh approvals, and new tenders. GMRL will soon submit the report to the state government, which will then be the final call.
Changing of Plans
The idea to switch to an underground metro came after Haryana Minister Rao Narbir Singh suggested it to Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, saying that the area is crowded with narrow roads. He stated that underground metros are common in busy urban areas across the world, and this option would leave space for future infrastructure like flyovers. However, he also stated that the government must carefully study the impact before making a decision. Experts have warned that changing the plan now could delay the project. Transport planner Professor Pradip Kumar Sarkar stated that if the design changes, the entire project plan, including approvals and land procedures, will have to be redone, adding at least a year or more.
Some residents support the underground option to avoid years of traffic chaos during construction, while others believe that more delay is unacceptable, as the city has already waited too long for metro expansion.
