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GDA starts work on ‘vehicle-free’ zone in Raj Nagar commercial centre
Ghaziabad: With the Supreme Court ban on construction activities recently lifted, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) Wednesday started the construction of
Ghaziabad: With the Supreme Court ban on construction activities recently lifted, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) Wednesday started the construction of the vehicle-free zone in Raj Nagar District Commercial (RDC) Centre. Officials said the project, being built at a cost of ₹6 crore, will be ready in three months.
GDA officials said the plan was meant to decongest RDC as the area witnesses a footfall about 10,000 every day. The RDC is spread over an area of one lakh square metres and is a major commercial hub with malls, multiplexes, eating joints, stores of renowned retail brands, pubs and other facilities.
The area is, however, marred by heavy on-road and roadside parking and the authority planned to make the RDC a ‘vehicle-free’ zone.
“Under the plan, we had invited public objections in October to the exchange of two plots of about 2,800 square metres each. The plot which has been exchanged will have a park with beautification. It will also have separate areas for children, senior citizens and the general public. The other plot which has been exchanged will be used for surface parking for about 120 vehicles and the parking will be free,” Asheesh Shivpuri, authority’s chief architect & town planner (CATP), said.
“The public objections have been disposed of and the two plots have been exchanged to create the park and the parking space. The project got delayed due to the ban on construction activities in view of the severe pollution i Ghaziabad and Delhi-NCR at large. Now, we have started the work and have started securing the road in RDC. At both ends of the road, we will install boom barriers to restrict entry of vehicles. Once this pilot project takes off, we will implement it in other parts of RDC as well,” Shivpuri said.
Officials said the parking space for 120 vehicles was earlier proposed for a multilevel parking project but the cost quoted by private players was too high.
“For now, we will be going ahead with surface parking and the multilevel parking project will be taken up at a later stage,” Shivpuri said.
Under the vehicle-free zone project, the authority has also planned the beautification of the area with proper lighting, seating facilities, kiosks and other facilities for visitors.
