MoS Tokhan Sahu reviews progress of key urban infrastructure, including Gurugram Metro, AMRUT 2.0, CITIIS 2.0

Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu undertook a series of important review meetings today at Sankalp Bhawan, New Delhi, focusing on strengthening the implementation of key urban infrastructure and flagship missions of the Ministry.

Union Minister of State (MoS) for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu undertook a series of important review meetings today at Sankalp Bhawan, New Delhi, focusing on strengthening the implementation of key urban infrastructure and flagship missions of the Ministry. The meetings covered the Gurugram Metro Connectivity Project, AMRUT 2.0 and CITIIS 2.0, with emphasis on expediting implementation, resolving bottlenecks and ensuring that the benefits of these initiatives reach citizens effectively.

MoS Tokhan Sahu chaired the meeting to review the progress and development of the Metro Connectivity from Millennium City Centre, Gurugram to Cyber City, Gurugram, with a spur to Dwarka Expressway, being implemented through Gurugram Metro Rail Limited (GMRL). The meeting was convened ahead of the PRAGATI meeting scheduled for the evening, with a focus on assessing the current status of the project, implementation progress and key issues requiring timely resolution. Praveer Kumar, Joint Secretary, MoHUA, along with senior officials of the Ministry and concerned authorities, briefed the Minister on the latest developments. The officials apprised Sahu of progress on various components, including project implementation, planning and coordination among the agencies concerned.

Sahu stressed the importance of maintaining close coordination among all stakeholders and addressing issues expeditiously to ensure timely progress of the project. With the officials of AMRUT Division, Sahu assessed the implementation and progress of AMRUT 2.0 and deliberated on the observations made in the 10th Report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs.

Isha Kalia, Joint Secretary, MoHUA, along with senior officials, presented the Ministry's response to the observations and key findings of the Standing Committee Report. During the meeting, officials highlighted that the assessment of AMRUT 2.0 coverage needs to be viewed in the context of the defined scope of the Mission. AMRUT covers 500 cities, with approximately 7.41 crore urban households as per 2025 data reported by these cities. The Standing Committee's assessment, however, has considered data from approximately 4,900 urban cities, covering around 11.32 crore households, which is broader than the Mission's defined coverage. Based on data reported by AMRUT cities, the Ministry informed that the actual coverage is approximately 55%. It was also clarified that sewerage systems and on-site sanitation systems need not necessarily be treated as mutually exclusive categories, as both can coexist where scientifically planned and implemented according to local requirements.

On sectoral investment, the officials emphasised that the importance of sewerage and septage infrastructure cannot be assessed merely on the basis of the number of projects. While sewerage and septage projects constitute around 6.8% of the total number of approved projects, they account for approximately Rs 71,133 crore out of the total approved project cost of Rs 1,97,191 crore, representing nearly 36% of the overall investment under the Mission. Officials also highlighted that large urban infrastructure projects require substantial implementation time and have long gestation periods. Delays may arise due to factors such as land-related issues, public objections, multiple departmental clearances and No Objection Certificates (NOCs), many of which fall under the jurisdiction of State Governments.

Regarding ongoing sewerage projects, officials informed that 394 projects worth approximately Rs 47,230 crore are currently under implementation. Upon completion, these projects are expected to provide new sewerage connections to around 48.76 lakh households, while approximately 60.59 lakh households will benefit through system upgrades and servicing. Sahu emphasised the need for continued monitoring, close coordination with States and Urban Local Bodies, and timely resolution of implementation bottlenecks to ensure that the objectives of AMRUT 2.0 are achieved effectively. He stressed that the ultimate focus must remain on translating approved projects into tangible outcomes and ensuring that quality water and sanitation infrastructure reaches citizens across urban India.

Sahu also reviewed the implementation and progress of CITIIS 2.0, taking stock of the city-wise status of the Mission. During the meeting, he reviewed city-level actions and the progress of State Climate Cells, with emphasis on strengthening climate-responsive urban development and effective implementation of the Mission's objectives. He further reviewed the suggested components and proposed Solid Waste Management (SWM) processes and interventions for Bilaspur. Discussions focused on strengthening sustainable, efficient and scientifically planned waste management practices in the city, along with the proposed interventions and steps required for their effective implementation.

Sahu reiterated that strong inter-agency coordination, continuous monitoring and timely decision-making are essential to ensure that flagship urban missions translate into visible and measurable improvements in the lives of citizens. He emphasised that the Government remains committed to building cleaner, greener, more resilient and future-ready cities, in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. (ANI)