Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], February 24 (ANI): In a meeting of the Union Cabinet held in New Delhi under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an important decision was taken to further enhance connectivity to GIFT City, and approval has been granted for the extension of the existing North-South Corridor of Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation Limited (GMRC) from GIFT City to Shahpur.

As per an official release from Gujarat CMO, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister and the Union Cabinet for providing the benefit of this connectivity to multinational fintech companies, units operating in GIFT City, educational institutions and commercial centres, as well as citizens commuting daily between Ahmedabad and GIFT City. GIFT City, established under the vision of the Prime Minister, has earned global recognition as a fintech hub.

Also Read | UPSC CSE 2026: UPSC Extends Civil Services Examination Registration Deadline Till February 27, Apply Online at upsconline.nic.in.

At present, the 68.28-km Ahmedabad Metro Phase-I {APMC to Motera Stadium (North-South Corridor) and Thaltej Gam to Vastral Gam (East-West Corridor)} and Phase-II (Motera Stadium to Mahatma Mandir and GNLU to GIFT City) of Gujarat Metro, with a total of 53 stations, have been successfully operational since September 2022 (Phase-I) and January 2026 (Phase-II). Approximately 1.60 lakh people benefit daily from this convenient mode of transportation.

Now, the Union Cabinet has approved the 3.33-kilometre-long extension from GIFT City to Shahpur, which will include three elevated stations. The project, estimated at approximately Rs. 1,067.35 crore, is planned to be completed within about four years, a release stated.

Also Read | Supreme Court Issues Notice on PIL Over Arbitrary Denial of EV Charger NOCs by Housing Societies.

Earlier in January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Metro Rail from the Mahatma Mandir Metro Station in Gandhinagar under Phase 2 of the project. According to the Gujarat CMO, "this inauguration marks a significant addition to the city's modern transportation system." The opening of the 7.8 km stretch, including seven stations--Mahatma Mandir, Sector-24, Sector-16, Old Secretariat, Akshardham, Secretariat, and Sector-10--now allows for travel along a 28.25 km route from Motera to Mahatma Mandir. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)