Jaipur: Ending a wait of nearly 15 years, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma Wednesday launched construction of the 41km Jaipur Metro Phase II corridor connecting Prahladpura to Todi Mod. Calling it Jaipur’s future “lifeline”, Sharma said the Rs 13,037 crore project would transform urban transport by connecting key residential, commercial and industrial areas across the city.The chief minister performed the bhoomi pujan at the Sitapura Metro Depot and flagged off piling work, formally beginning civil construction. He later travelled by metro from Mansarovar to Chhoti Chaupar and inspected the proposed interchange station at Khasa Kothi, where commuters will be able to switch between Phase I and Phase II through a pedestrian footbridge.Sharma said the expansion became necessary as Jaipur grew and added that work started within 18 days of Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually laying the foundation stone. He said that the state govt would also take up Metro Phase III and Phase IV in future in line with the city’s transport needs.The new corridor will connect Sitapura Industrial Area, Jaipur International Airport, Tonk Road, SMS Hospital, Jaipur Junction, Collectorate, Ambabari, Vidyadhar Nagar and Vishwakarma Industrial Area (VKI). It also includes an underground section at Jaipur Airport.Officials said the first construction package, from Prahladpura to Pinjrapole Gaushala, has been awarded for Rs 918 crore and will include 10 stations. The tender for the second package, from Pinjrapole Gaushala to B2B Crossing, has also been floated. This fully underground stretch will have two stations—Sanganer Police Station and Jaipur Airport.Construction of the remaining stretches—from Airport to Khasa Kothi and Khasa Kothi to Todi Mod, with 12 stations each—is expected to begin in Sept or Oct.Officials said work on all packages will proceed simultaneously, with three additional packages planned for ancillary infrastructure.
