Ghaziabad Metro pact likely next week

GHAZIABAD: The Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Wednesday approved the draft memorandum of understanding to be signed between Ghaziabad Development Authority and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation for the extension of Metro in Ghaziabad. The 9.41km-long elevated corridor, which will link Dilshad Garden in Delhi with New Bus Stand in Ghaziabad, will have seven stations and is expected to be completed by June 2017.
“The MoU is likely to be inked between the two authorities as early as next week.The project will give a big boost to development in the entire region,” said Ghaziabad Development Authority vice-chairman Santosh Yadav.
The state government, through its various development agencies including GDA, Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation, UP Housing and Development Board and UP State Industrial Development Corporation, will incur the major share o f the total project cost of Rs 1,770 crore. The four agencies will together spend over Rs 1,100 crore.
While the first Metro phase in the city saw the Blue Line (Dwarka Sector 21-Noida/Ghaziabad) extending till Vaishali in 2011, the second phase will see the extension of the Red Line (Rithala-Kashmere Gate-Dilshad Garden) till the city’s New Bus Stand.

A detailed project report for the second phase was prepared by the GDA in 2012, following which the state government had in March 2013 approved the costs to be incurred by the various agencies. The GDA this April had sent the draft MoU to Lucknow for the state government’s approval.
After GDA and DMRC sign the MoU, Rs 545 crore, earmarked for the project in 2014-15, will be immediately transferred to the DMRC to begin work, officials said, who added that the state government will bear Rs 256 crore which the Delhi Metro will incur on rolling stock.
The GDA will also provide all necessary assistance to the DMRC for executing the project, including land.