Cricket fans heading to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera for the fifth T20 International between India and South Africa on Thursday, December 19, need to plan their travel carefully. In anticipation of large crowds, authorities in Ahmedabad have announced significant changes to public transport schedules and road traffic patterns to ensure smooth movement.
Metro Services Run Past Midnight
To facilitate the return journey for spectators after the day-night match, the Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC) has decided to extend Metro services beyond their regular operational hours. Metro trains in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar will run until 12:30 AM on Friday, December 20, a significant extension from the usual closing time of 10:00 PM.
For travel during these extended hours after 10:00 PM, commuters must purchase a special paper ticket priced at Rs. 50. This ticket will be valid exclusively for travel in the post-10:00 PM window. On the match day, passengers can board trains for onward travel to any operational station only from Motera Stadium and Sabarmati stations across both corridors of the Ahmedabad Metro network.
Specific late-night services have been detailed for Gandhinagar-bound passengers. Two additional trains will depart from Motera Stadium to Sector 1 station at 11:40 PM and 12:10 AM. The final train towards APMC station will leave at 12:30 AM.
Road Closures and Alternate Routes
The Ahmedabad Traffic Police will implement road closures to manage vehicular flow around the stadium. The route between Janpath T-junction and Krupa Residency up to Motera Gam T-junction will be closed from 3:00 PM on December 19 until 2:00 AM on December 20.
Commuters are strongly advised to use the following alternate routes to avoid congestion:
- From Tapovan circle, proceed to ONGC crossroads, then to Janpath T-junction, and finally to Prabodh Raval circle.
- From Krupa Residency towards Sharan Status Crossroads, take Bhat Koteshwar Road to reach Apollo Circle.
Authorities are urging all match-goers to plan their trips in advance, expect diversions, and opt for Metro services whenever possible to reduce road traffic.
Special Bus Services Deployed
Complementing the Metro extension, the Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL) has arranged special Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) services for the cricket event. A total of 36 additional BRTS buses will operate from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM on match day, with key boarding points including Motera Cross Road and Sabarmati Police Station.
Furthermore, to assist with the post-match dispersal, 10 extra buses will be deployed specifically to transport spectators from Motera Stadium to various parts of the city. These buses will cover major routes such as ISKCON to Visat Junction, LD/Nehrunagar to Visat, and Akhbarnagar to Visat Junction.
With these comprehensive arrangements in place, authorities aim to provide a safe and efficient travel experience for the thousands of fans expected to attend the high-profile cricket clash at the world's largest stadium.
