New Delhi, May 13: The Centre is keen on giving a shape to the new Metro rail projects at Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad by the year end, Urban Development Minister Ananth Kumar said here today. "The project report for Bangalore Metro has already been prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and the project report for Hyderabad-Secundrabad will be submitted on May 31," Kumar told reporters here after taking stock of the progress of the Delhi Metro rail project.

The Centre has already initiated talks with Gujarat Chief Minister on the Ahmedabad-Gandhi Nagar project and work for the preparation of the project report would be started soon, he said.

The minister said in the next phase, the government would work on the Metro Rail project in Mumbai, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram and Cochin.

The construction of the Bangalore project, approximately 33 kms, is expected to be started within this year," he said, adding construction cost was estimated to be Rs 100 crore per km for overground section and Rs 175 crore per km for the underground section for all the Metro projects.

Stating that DMRC will provide consultancy, logistics and other necessary help to all the Metro projects, Kumar said the Centre would be part of all the Metro projects and his ministry would bear 40 per cent of the total cost of the project reports. Each of the project report costs between Rs two to three crore.

Lauding the pace of work of Delhi Metro rail project, he said with the completion of 65 kms by September 2005, the Delhi Metro would transport 22 lakh passengers per day. Bureau Report