Jaipur: Now you can ride the Metro from Mansarovar to Hawa Mahal and back. The ministry of urban development on Tuesday approved the expansion of Phase 1 of the metro project from Chandpole to Badi Chaupar.

The ministry has also agreed back its decision with an additional finance of Rs600 crore. The first phase of Metro project was earlier planned between Mansarovar and Chandpole. The stations inside Walled City including Badi Chaupar were scheduled to be taken up in the second phase of the project consider the infrastructure involved laying the tracks underground.

"The ministry has broadly approved the change in project. We have been assured of a financial back up if Rs600 crore to take the metro to Badi Chaupar," Kuldeep Ranka, managing director of Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation (JMRC) said.

Ranka said the state and the Union government will share the funding of project and each will retain equity in the project. "Around 56 percent fund will be raised through loans that which will be carried out through a separate process," said Ranka. There will also be a share of central taxes to fund the project. However, the deadline of the project would be decided later.

The approval of the project was given in a high-level meeting between the JMRC officials and ministry representatives on Tuesday. Officials discussed the expansion plan of Metro project from Bari Chaupar to Chandpole in first phase. With the expansion plan the project cost is bound to escalate and is expected to touch Rs 3000 crore mark. The JMRC, which lacks funds to execute the project, has demanded around 20 percent financial support from the Union government. 

The approved proposal will be forwarded to the Investment Board of Union finance ministry, which will scan the project. The meeting will be also attended by all ministries concerned apart from officials of the Planning Commission. If the board is satisfied with the all the features of the proposal then it would be tabled in union cabinet for final approval in the financial year, officials said.