Guwahati, July 10 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday announced that the state government will undertake a feasibility study for introducing a metro rail system along the proposed Guwahati Ring Road, a major urban mobility initiative unveiled in the 2026-27 state Budget.

Sharing the announcement on social media shortly after the Budget presentation by Finance Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said the proposed metro rail corridor would run along the Guwahati Ring Road to facilitate seamless travel and improve the quality of urban transportation in the city.

“A new metro rail system will soon run along the stretch of Guwahati Ring Road to facilitate seamless travel and enhance ease of living. Feasibility studies will soon commence for this project,” CM Sarma said.

According to the Budget proposal, the state government will first conduct a detailed feasibility study to examine the technical, financial and operational viability of integrating a metro rail system along or over the Guwahati Ring Road.

The proposed project is expected to complement the Ring Road, one of the state’s flagship infrastructure initiatives aimed at decongesting Guwahati by diverting through traffic away from the city centre while improving connectivity to key urban and suburban areas.

If implemented, the metro rail system would become Assam’s first mass rapid transit network and is expected to significantly strengthen public transport in Guwahati, which has witnessed rapid urbanisation and a steady rise in vehicular traffic over the past decade.

The Budget, presented by Finance Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah on Friday, placed strong emphasis on infrastructure development, urban mobility and long-term transport planning to support Assam’s growing economy and expanding urban centres.

The feasibility study will determine the most suitable alignment, project cost, passenger demand, funding model and execution strategy before the government takes a final decision on implementing the metro rail project.

The announcement marks another major urban infrastructure proposal for Guwahati, with the government aiming to transform the city into a modern and sustainable metropolitan hub through integrated road and public transport networks.

–IANS

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