The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and Ministry of Railways have joined hands with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to launch the ‘Station Area Development along Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail’ (Project-SMART). This collaborative initiative aims to develop the areas surrounding the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Railway (MAHSR) stations, with the objective of enhancing accessibility, convenience for commuters and stakeholders, and to boost economic activities in the vicinity.
As part of Project-SMART, four High Speed Rail Stations – Sabarmati, Surat, Virar and Thane – out of the 12 stations on the route have been identified for development. The project will facilitate and enhance the institutional capacity of State Governments, Municipal Corporations, and Urban Development Authorities to plan, develop, and manage the surrounding areas of MAHSR stations.
In order to prepare for the development plans, a series of seminars and field visits have been organized in Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai by the MoHUA, Governments of Gujarat and Maharashtra, and JICA. The first seminar of the series has already been held at Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi on 8th May 2023, which was attended by officers from the Japan Embassy, JICA HQ, JICA India Office, JICA experts’ team, Ministry of Railways, National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited, MoHUA, and TCPO.
The seminars will focus on discussing and deliberating the various aspects of ‘Station Area Development Plans’ for Sabarmati, Surat, Virar, and Thane HSR Stations, and also create a model handbook that includes experiences and methodologies adopted in Japan, India, and other countries for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and Station Area Development.
Through this joint initiative, MoHUA and the Ministry of Railways aim to create sustainable and well-connected urban spaces around the MAHSR stations, and help promote economic growth in the region