The Ministries of Housing and Urban Affairs and Railways have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Japan International Cooperation Agency for Station Area Development along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (Project-SMART). The MoU was signed for four high-speed rail stations along the route, including Sabarmati, Surat in Gujarat, and Virar and Thane in Maharashtra. Surat, Virar, and Thane are all greenfield developments, whereas Sabarmati is a brownfield development.
The authorities intend to develop surrounding regions of stations on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Railway (MAHSR) under Project-SMART in order to improve accessibility and convenience for passengers and other stakeholders, as well as to boost economic activity in the proximity of station areas. The project would facilitate and enhance the institutional capacity of state governments, municipal corporations, and urban development authorities to plan, develop, and manage surrounding areas of MAHSR stations, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs noted.
The ministry is hosting a series of seminars and field visits for Project-SMART in Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai in collaboration with the state governments of Gujarat and Maharashtra, as well as the Japan International Cooperation Agency. On Monday, the first seminar in the series was held at Nirman Bhawan, with officers from the Japan Embassy, JICA Headquarters, JICA India Office, JICA experts’ team, National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited, ministries, and the Town and Country Planning Organisation (TCPO) deliberating.
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