In a significant setback to the Ghaziabad Improvement Authority (GDA)’s plans to increase two Metro routes inside Ghaziabad for higher connectivity, the state housing and concrete planning division has refused to bear 50% of the undertaking price, as requested by the authority.
In a written communication to the GDA, the state housing and concrete planning division stated because the state was already funding quite a lot of price intensive mass transport methods just like the Metro and RRTS in a number of different cities, it was not possible to make investments in direction of the Metro extensions in Ghaziabad.
The two proposed Metro routes are from Mohan Nagar to Vaishali and from Noida’s Sector 62 to Sahibabad, officers stated.
In January 2020, the Delhi Metro Rail Company (DMRC) submitted a undertaking report back to the GDA, with a undertaking estimate of ₹1,517 crore for the Sector 62-Sahibabad route, and ₹1,808.22 crore for the Vaishali-Mohan Nagar route.
The two extensions would have linked metropolis commuters to DMRC’s Blue Line community and in addition to the Crimson Line community. Ghaziabad metropolis at present has two stations on the Blue Line (Anand Vihar to Vaishali) and eight stations on the Crimson Line community (Dilshad Backyard to New Bus Adda).
“Contemplating the excessive prices concerned, the GDA In December 2022 had written to the state searching for 50% funding for the Metro extensions. Now we have now acquired their reply and so they have denied our request. So, extending the two routes might not be attainable in the close to future,” stated Rakesh Kumar Gupta, chief engineer, GDA.
In a written communication, the state housing and concrete planning division stated completely different cities comparable to Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra and Gorakhpur have Metro tasks, moreover the Regional Speedy Transit System undertaking in the Nationwide Capital Area.
“The state authorities has to make enormous expenditure in type of funding/loans in direction of these tasks. So, contemplating the assets out there, it’s not possible to make investments in direction of the metro extensions. Totally different businesses can contribute out of their very own assets for funding the extensions,” the communication stated.
The GDA is at present burdened with the compensation of big loans that it had taken from banks to assemble the ten.3km Hindon elevated street and in addition for awarding further land compensation to farmers whose land was acquired for the Madhuban Bapudham housing scheme.
“We nonetheless have excellent loans of about ₹700 crore. So, it might not be possible for the GDA to fund the Metro tasks proper now. We might not be extending the New Bus Adda Metro (Crimson Line) in direction of Ghaziabad railway station; as an alternative a ropeway undertaking is possible. For that, we have now written to the businesses involved to take up the undertaking,” Gupta stated.
For the previous virtually two years, the two Metro extensions had occupied a lot of GDA’s consideration. Hamstrung by a paucity of funds, the GDA beforehand proposed linking the extensions by a ropeway undertaking and later by way of the much less capital intensive Metrolite and Metro Neo methods.
Nonetheless, these various modes had been vehemently opposed by residents and, the authority, in December 2022, lastly determined that they are going to go forward with the two Metro extensions if the state would bear half the expense.
Nonetheless, the denial of funds by the state authorities has jeopardised the development of the two Metro extensions, which had been demanded by residents.
“With out the state’s intervention, the two extensions could not undergo in the approaching years. The federal government has offered funds for the RRTS undertaking. So, they need to contribute in direction of the Metro extensions as properly. These extensions will significantly cut back visitors congestion and enhance air high quality in Ghaziabad,” stated Rajendra Tyagi, councillor from Raj Nagar.
“The two businesses — GDA and the municipal company — are but to obtain funds amounting to ₹1,000 crore from the state authorities as their share of the infrastructure growth funds (IDF). If the federal government just isn’t sharing in direction of Metro, they need to present the IDF share in order that the businesses can full the undertaking on their very own,” stated Tyagi.
One other councillor, Himanshu Mittal from Kavi Nagar, has already moved the excessive courtroom for expediting the discharge of the IDF share. The case is at present being heard by the Allahabad excessive courtroom.