Initial funding of AU$40m (£20.2m) has been fast-tracked to establish the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority (MMRA) and enable it to start work on the project as soon as possible.
The MMRA will oversee immediate planning works, complete development of the reference design and undertake detailed site investigations.
The project, which will create 3,500 jobs during peak construction, also includes five new underground stations. The aim is to transform the system into an international-style metro, similar to those in London and Hong Kong.
“If we don’t build Melbourne Metro Rail now, our public transport system will grind to a halt,” said minister for public transport Jacinta Allan. “We’re getting straight to work, creating thousands of jobs and building the projects that our state needs.”
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