Gurugram’s public transportation network is set for a major overhaul! The Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) is initiating a crucial study to identify and address existing gaps in the city’s mass transit system, especially as the new Gurugram metro corridor takes shape. This move comes amidst rapid urban expansion and an ever-increasing population, aiming to ensure the metro and public transport plans adequately serve current and future needs.
Why a New Metro Transit Study?
With Gurugram’s continuous development of new residential sectors, industrial hubs, and commercial zones, HMRTC recognizes the importance of reassessing metro accessibility and future requirements. An HMRTC official emphasized that it’s the “right time to re-evaluate” the city’s public transport infrastructure. The study will focus on “missing links” within the network, evaluating their potential ridership, feasibility, estimated costs, and how they can integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure.
What the Study Entails
HMRTC has already floated a tender for this comprehensive traffic study, with a consultant agency expected to be onboarded shortly. The ambitious project is slated for completion within four months.
The selected consultant will undertake a thorough review of all existing public transport services, including current bus operations and para-transit networks. This review will assess their role in supporting or, conversely, limiting metro connectivity. A key output of the study will be detailed projections for Gurugram’s travel needs for the next three decades, helping to future-proof the city’s transit strategy.
Addressing Gurugram’s Connectivity Challenges
Many parts of Gurugram, particularly its peripheral and newly developing sectors, currently fall outside the metro’s reach. This study is deemed essential to connect these underserved areas. The city’s current metro network is relatively small, with only 17km of operational lines (5.3km of Delhi Metro’s Yellow Line and 11.7km of Rapid Metro). While the new Millennium City Centre-Cyber City line, approved in 2023, is in its tendering phase for Phase 1, much more is needed.
Gurugram’s population, estimated to have crossed 25 lakh, is projected to reach over 42.5 lakh residents in the Gurugram-Manesar Urban Complex (GMUC) area by 2031. HMRTC believes the current metro expansion plan requires a “comprehensive review” to adapt to shifting travel patterns and emerging growth centers.
The study will meticulously map existing metro connectivity and pinpoint new corridors. Each proposed corridor will be digitally mapped, complete with tentative station locations and phase-wise implementation plans. This initiative directly addresses Gurugram’s worsening traffic congestion and acknowledges the inadequacy of the current public transport system, aiming to plug connectivity gaps identified in the 2020 Comprehensive Mobility Management Plan (CMMP).
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The 2020 CMMP envisioned a 200km network of metro and rapid rail corridors. However, out of the ten proposed Mass Rapid Transit System lines, only one — the 29.05km corridor between Millennium City Centre and Cyber Hub — is currently under implementation. Other vital routes, such as Sector 56-Pachgaon via Manesar, Bhondsi-Sohna Chowk-Railway Station, and Golf Course Extension Road-Millennium City Centre-Sector 5, are still in the planning stages.
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