The Ahmedabad Metro is a rapid transit system for the cities of Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and GIFT City in the state of Gujarat in India. Currently the network is long and has 54 operational stations.
The Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation Limited was established in February 2010 and the Phase 1 of the project was approved in October 2013 with two corridors, North–South and East–West. Construction started on 14 March 2015. A section of the East–West corridor was inaugurated on 4 March 2019. The rest of Phase 1 was inaugurated on 30 September 2022, except the Thaltej Gam end and three stations. Phase 1 was completed in December 2024, except Sabarmati Railway Station metro station.
Phase 2 was approved in February 2019 and construction started in January 2021. The Violet Line and part of the Yellow line opened in September 2024. The rest of the Yellow Line opened gradually, concluding with the completion of Phase 2 in January 2026.
Background
In 2003, Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board carried out a study for urban transport between Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. It also carried out the detailed project report through Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and RITES and submitted it in June 2005 and received Central Government's approval in the same year. Following the estimated cost of and the study of the viability of the project, it was abandoned in 2005 to give priority to the Ahmedabad BRTS and suburban railway projects. In 2008, considering the future developments in and around Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, the project was revived and new corridors designed to make the project viable.
The special purpose vehicle company, Metro Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad Company Ltd, later renamed Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation Limited (GMRC) in 2018, was established by Government of Gujarat on 4 February 2010 with . Later in 2014, it was decided that the Central Government will own 50% of the company.
Construction Phases Phase 1 The Phase 1 of the project was approved in October 2013 with two corridors, North–South and East–West. On 19 October 2014, Union Cabinet of India approved for Phase 1. The Central Government approved the use of unused Western Railways land along the Botad-Sabarmati meter gauge line in November 2014. The original plan of Metro along Ashram Road was tweaked and the track was moved westward. The new plan added the cost of and two more stations. The new plan helped by causing fewer problems in land acquisition and less congestion on Ashram Road. In 2015 budget of Gujarat, was further allocated for the metro. The ground breaking ceremony was held on 14 March 2015 for the construction of the Vastral–Apparel Park stretch of the East–West corridor (Blue Line) in the presence of the then Gujarat Chief Minister, Anandiben Patel. The ground-breaking ceremony for the North–South Corridor (Red Line) was held on 17 January 2016 in the presence of the then Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel. The work started in March 2016. The Indian Railways permitted the construction of the North–South corridor stretch on its land in June 2016. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) agreed to fund for Phase 1 of the project in November 2015 and the first tranche of was released in 2016.
The trial runs were carried out in February 2019 on the Vastral–Apparel Park section of the Blue Line. The section was inaugurated on 4 March 2019 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was opened to the public on 6 March 2019. Except the Thaltej–Thaltej Gam section and three metro stations (Kankaria East, Thaltej Gam and Sabarmati Railway), the rest of Phase 1 was inaugurated on 30 September 2022 by Prime Minister Modi. The Blue and Red Lines were opened to the public on 2 October 2022 and 6 October 2022 respectively. The construction cost of Phase 1 was . Kankaria East station was opened on 5 March 2024. Thaltej Gam station and the adjoining 1.4 km (0.870 mi) section of the Blue Line leading to Thaltej station were opened on 8 December 2024.
Phase 1 No. Line NameTerminals Stations Distance (km)Opening Date 1 Blue LineThaltej GamThaltej11.4 km8 December 2024ThaltejApparel Park1113.26 km30 September 2022Apparel ParkVastral Gam66.5 km4 March 2019 2 Red LineMotera StadiumAPMC1418.87 km30 September 202232
Phase 2 The Government of Gujarat approved Phase 2 in October 2017 and revised it in October 2018. In February 2019, the Union cabinet approved a cost of for Phase 2. Corridor 1 (Yellow Line) from Motera in Ahmedabad to Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar () with a branching Corridor 2 (Violet Line) from Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) linking Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU) and GIFT City () was finalised. Phase 2 included a long elevated corridor with 22 stations.
The tendering for Phase 2 began in January 2020. On 18 January 2021, the foundation stone of Phase 2 was laid by Prime Minister Modi.
In February 2023, Titagarh Rail Systems won a contract worth for providing rolling stock for Phase 2.
The trial run of Phase 2 started in February 2024 between GNLU and Dholakuva Circle stations. The Yellow Line connecting Sector-1 station of Gandhinagar with the Red Line and the branch Violet Line along with eight stations were inaugurated on 16 September 2024 by Prime Minister Modi. Seven new stations on the Yellow Line were opened to the public on 27 April 2025. Juna Koba and Koba Gaam stations on the Yellow Line were opened on 28 September 2025. The final 5.36-kilometre corridor of the Yellow Line, from Sachivalaya (Secretariat) to Mahatma Mandir, was inaugurated on 11 January 2026 by Prime Minister Modi.
Under Phase 2A, GMRC planned to link the metro system to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad at a cost of . The Union Cabinet approved the plan in June 2026. The estimated cost of Phase 2A was . The Airport Line corridor will branches off from Yellow Line with Koteshwar Road station as an interchange. The corridor will be elevated from Koteshwar Road to the Taj Hotel Circle, and from there to the airport it will be underground. It will have 5 metro stations including an underground station at the airport. The approved stations are Ashram Road, Koteshwar Prachin Mandir, Sabarmati River, Sardar Nagar and Airport.
In April 2026, under Phase 2B, the GMRC invited the bids for extension of the Violet Line from GIFT City to Shahpur Circle with a 3.33 km elevated corridor and 3 stations, at a cost of . The approved stations are GIFT City House, Gujarat Biotechnology University and Shahpur.
Phase 2No. Line NameTerminals Stations Distance (km)Opening Date3 Yellow LineMahatma MandirSector-177.44 km11 January 2026Sector-1Motera Stadium1415.40 km16 September 20244 Violet LineGNLUGIFT City35.42 km16 September 2024GIFT CityShahpur Circle33.33 kmApproved5Airport LineKoteshwar RoadSVPI Airport56.032 kmApproved32
Phase 3
Under Phase 3A, the Blue Line will be extended from Thaltej Gam to Godhavi with two distinct elevated corridors totalling with nine stations: a 3.313 km Thaltej Gam to Canal Road Metro Station corridor with three elevated stations, and a 7.505 km Canal Road Metro Station to Godhavi Metro-cum-Rapid Rail Transit System hybrid corridor with six stations. This extension will connect to upcoming SWASA (South West Ahmedabad Sports Arena) and further to Sanand.
Phase 3No.Line NameTerminalsStationsDistance (km)Opening Date1 Blue LineGodhaviCanal Road67.505 kmplannedCanal RoadThaltej Gam33.313 kmplanned9
Proposed expansions The GMRC also submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to extend the Violet Line to construct a elevated circular loop within GIFT City. The estimated cost for the construction is . The project is expected to add four to six metro stations to connect the different campuses within the city. Another proposal includes extension of Violet Line to IIT Gandhinagar. This route will have six stations and will cost around .
Other proposals under study include Thaltej Gam–Sanathal route, RTO–Jivraj–Narol–Naroda route, and the Paldi–Apparel Park route.
Construction contracts Sl No. Contract Contractor 1 General Consultancy Systra-RITES-Oriental-AECOM JV 2 96 coaches (Rolling stock) Hyundai Rotem 3 Signalling System Nippon Signal Co. Ltd, Japan 4 Apparel Park Depot URC Construction 5 Gyaspur Depot Gannon Dunkerly - PSPO JV 6 Vastral Gam - Apparel Park (Viaduct - 6 km) J Kumar Infraprojects 7 Vastral Gam - Apparel Park (6 Stations) DRA Infracon - CICO JV 8 East Ramp - Kalupur (Tunnels & 2 Stations - 2.45 km) Afcons Infrastructure 9 Kalupur - West Ramp (Tunnels & 2 Stations - 4.38 km) Larsen & Toubro 10 Thaltej Gam - West Ramp (Viaduct & 7 Stations - 8.21 km) Tata Projects - CRCC JV 11 Gyspur - Shreyas (Viaduct & 4 Stations - 4.62 km) 12 Shreyas - Ranip (Viaduct & 6 Stations -8.94 km) Simplex Infrastructure 13 Motera - Ranip (Viaduct - 4.85 km) Ranjit Buildcon 14 Motera - Ranip (5 Stations) Pratibha - Ranjit JV15Shreyas to Ranip (Viaduct & 6 stations – 8.94 km)Simplex Infrastructure16Kalupur to West Ramp (Tunnels & 2 stations – 4.38 km)Larsen & Toubro17Thaltej Gam to West Ramp (Viaduct, Sabarmati Bridge & 7 stations – 8.21 km)Tata – CCECC JV18ElectrificationSiemens India - Siemens AG, Germany19Automatic Fare Collection SystemNippon Signal Co. Ltd, Japan20Telecommunication SystemM/s. L&T Limited
Operational Network
Ahmedabad MetroLine NameFirst Operational Last ExtensionStationsLengthTerminal StationsRolling StockTrack Gauge (mm)ElectrificationEnd to end travel timeRef4 March 20198 December 202418 Thaltej GamVastral GamHyundai RotemStandard Gauge (1,435 mm)750V DC Third Rail45 min30 September 202214Motera StadiumAPMC67 min16 September 202411 January 202621Mahatma MandirMotera Stadium 16 September 20243GIFT CityGNLUTotal 49
Operations
The metro started commercial operations in March 2019. Over 7.1 lakh people had travelled by metro till June 2022 but the monthly ridership had never exceeded 38,137 which is the highest ridership registered in March 2019 due to short length of the opened corridor then. The most riders were identified as those taking joyrides.
Following opening of the Phase-1 in September 2022, the ridership increased significantly. In FY 2025-26 (April 2025 to March 2026) more than 5,10,29,000 people travelled via metro with average daily ridership of 1,53,871 in January 2026.
Controversy
Near Thaltej Gam on western side, 300-odd shop owners opposed the land acquisition while the officials said that there is need of huge land for depot and parking for the project. The land acquisition is also opposed by the residents and shop owners of Jivraj Park in Vejalpur area. They had filed a case in Gujarat High Court. They settled the case in September 2017. Former IAS officer and executive chairman of project Sanjay Gupta and seven of his subordinate officers were accused while two of them were arrested in May 2015 for alleged committed fraud of in procurement and use of ground filling materials for the project in 2012. Another case regarding procurement of 603 tons of TMT steel worth which was never delivered is also being investigated.
The Comptroller and Auditor General has pointed out wasteful expenditure of on earlier unapproved corridors.
Network map
See also List of Ahmedabad Metro stations Urban rail transit in India Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation Limited Surat Metro
References
External links
Official website Phase-1 Detailed Project Report