Assam government is expecting investment for the operation and maintenance of the proposed Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) Phase I at Guwahati.
There are investment opportunities in development, operation and maintenance of MRTS in Design Build Operate and Transfer model.
The state government has put the 61.4 km long proposed Phase I MRTS project with an approximate cost of Rs 18,020 Crore in the investible project category of ‘Advantage Assam’.
Under the proposed Phase I MRTS project there will be four corridors namely, Dharapur-Narangi (elevated) with a length 22.6 km, M.G. Road to Khanapara (underground) 10 km, Jalukbari to Khanapara (elevated) 19.4 km and ISBT to Paltanbazar (elevated) covering a stretch of 9.4 km.
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Train with three car racks will have a carrying capacity up to 975 passengers. There will be altogether 54 stations across all the routes. This is a DPR approved project.
The foundation stone of the MRTS project was laid by former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi in February 2016. After the fall of the Congress government, the BJP present government claimed the Congress did nothing except laying the foundation stone.
On 18 January 2017, Assam industries minister Chandra Mohan Patowary told media, “There was no DPR and no money had been sanctioned. The foundation stone was laid without it. Now, we have the DPR.”
The state government has effected changes in the MRTS project due to the new Metro Rail Policy 2017. Under the new policy Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority is a mandatory requirement as per the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) guidelines.