Project-SMART: New MoU Signed For Developing Four Stations Along Mumbai-Ahmedabad Rail Corridor

Envisaging development of surrounding areas of Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Railway stations, Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry and Railways Ministry jointly signed an MoU with Japan International Cooperation Agency for station area development along the corridor.

The MoU was inked for four high speed rail stations — Sabarmati, Surat in Gujarat and Virar and Thane in Maharashtra, out of 12 stations. Surat, Virar and Thane are green fields while Sabarmati is a brown field development.

Project-SMART aims to develop surrounding areas of Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Railway (MAHSR) stations to enhance accessibility and convenience of commuters and other stakeholders and to promote economic activities in the vicinity of station areas.

The project would facilitate and enhance institutional capacity of state governments, Municipal Corporations and Urban Development Authorities to plan, develop and manage surrounding areas of MAHSR stations.

Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, governments of Gujarat, Maharashtra and JICA are organising a series of seminars and field visits for the Project–SMART in Delhi, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

The first seminar of the series has been organised at Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi on 8 May 2023.

The deliberations of the seminars would contribute in preparation of ‘Station Area Development Plans’ for Sabarmati, Surat, Virar and Thane HSR stations and model handbook, containing experiences and methodologies adopted in Japan, India and other countries for transit oriented development and station area development.