MoHUA and MoR join hands with JICA for Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project – Project-SMART
An agreement has been signed by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and Ministry of Railways, along with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project, known as Project-SMART. The objective of the project is to enhance accessibility and convenience for commuters and promote economic activities in the vicinity of the MAHSR stations by developing the surrounding areas. The agreement was signed for four High-Speed Rail Stations out of the 12 stations on the route, namely Sabarmati, Surat in Gujarat, and Virar and Thane in Maharashtra.
The MAHSR project not only aims to plan, develop, and manage the surrounding areas of its stations but also seeks to improve the institutional capacity of State Governments, Municipal Corporations, and Urban Development Authorities involved in the project.The MoHUA, the governments of Gujarat and Maharashtra, and JICA are jointly organizing a series of seminars and field visits in Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai for the Project-SMART.
The first seminar of the series was held recently in the national capital. Officers from the Japan Embassy, JICA HQ, JICA India Office, JICA expert team, Ministry of Railway, National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited, MoHUA, and TCPO attended the seminar and deliberated on various aspects of the project.
The seminars will aid in creating ‘Station Area Development Plans’ for Sabarmati, Surat, Virar, and Thane HSR Stations. Additionally, they will produce a handbook that includes methodologies and experiences from Japan, India, and other countries for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and Station Area Development.
