Project-SMART

The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has signed a MoU with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Ministry of Railways for the Project-SMART.

About Project-SMART

• It stands for Station Area Development along Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail(SMART).
• It is an initiative towards modernizing railway infrastructure in India, with the potential to transform the areas around the high-speed rail stations into bustling economic centers.
• The MoU was inked for four high-speed stations — Sabarmati, Surat in Gujarat, and Virar and Thane in Maharashtra, out of the 12 stations in the route.
  • Surat, Virar and Thane are green field projects while Sabarmati is a brown field development.
• The project — SMART to enhance accessibility and convenience of commuters and to promote economic activities in the vicinity of Mumbai – Ahmedabad High Speed Railway (MAHSR) stations.
• It would enhance institutional capacity of State Governments, Municipal Corporations and Urban Development Authorities.