The company that would be finalised would also prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and the estimated cost of the report is around Rs 3 crore.

Senior officials of the Chandigarh Administration said the decision was taken in a meeting held today. While fourty percent of the cost of construction would be borne by the Ministry of Urban Development, the rest 60 percent would be divided among the three states of Himachal, Haryana & Punjab and Chandigarh, officials added. The Metro rail project from Chandigarh will be linking areas in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal.

The meeting also discussed the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) for the Metro and the MTRS parallel to the Metro in the city.

It was also decided in the meeting that the transport system of the city would be planned in coordination with the Metro keeping in mind convenience to the general public.

Though the Urban Development Ministry has given in principle clearance, it would take another five years for the Metro to start.

The development being quite significant will ensure growth of the sub-cities and help lessen congestion in Chandigarh.

Initially, the Metro would run along two corridors, for which the expert committee had earlier suggested ‘at surface Light Railway Transport’.