Shift To Underground Alignment May Double Cost, Delay Gurgaon Metro Phase-2 By Up To Three Years: Report

The Haryana government is yet to take a final decision on whether to alter the structural design of the Gurgaon Metro Phase-2 corridor between Sector 9 and Cyber City from an elevated line to an underground one, a change that could double project costs and delay completion by up to three years, Times of India reported.

The Gurugram Metro Rail Limited (GMRL), which is implementing the project, has prepared a detailed report outlining the technical and financial implications of the proposed change.

According to its estimates, shifting to an underground alignment would increase the cost per km from the current Rs 330–350 crore to Rs 600–650 crore. The report also warns of inevitable delays linked to tender revisions, design modifications, and renewed approvals.

A senior GMRL official said the findings would soon be submitted to the state government for consideration.

“The report is taking into account all variables, including cost, design feasibility and project timelines. The govt will decide whether to proceed as planned or opt for an underground metro,” an official was quoted as saying.

The proposal to move the corridor underground was raised by cabinet minister Rao Narbir Singh, who recently wrote to Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar, citing the area’s high population density and narrow roads.

Singh told TOI, “Across the world, it is a standard practice to construct metro lines underground, especially in densely built-up areas... The govt will take a decision in the larger public interest.”

Experts, however, have cautioned that such a shift could significantly delay the project.

The 28.5 km Gurgaon Metro sanctioned in June 2023 is designed as a fully elevated network connecting Millennium City Centre to Cyber City, with a spur to Dwarka Expressway and another recently cleared 1.8 km link to Gurgaon railway station to improve intermodal connectivity.

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