GMDA asks GMRL to construct all five proposed structures along the metro alignment

The GMDA officials on Wednesday conducted a joint inspection with GMRL officials along the metro corridor in the package twofrom Sector 9 to Cyber Hub and discussed the construction of the structures and metro rail line along this narrow corridor.

The Gurugram metropolitan development authority (GMDA) has asked the Gurugram metro rail limited (GMRL) to construct all the five proposed underpasses/flyovers along the metro alignment on Wednesday, which have been approved in the authority meeting chaired by the chief minister Nayab Singh Saini in Apriland for which the budget of ₹350 crore has also been approved by government.

Barricading work for the Gurugram Metro project construction has started on Sector 44 road near the GMDA office. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

The GMDA officials on Wednesday conducted a joint inspection with GMRL officials along the metro corridor in the package twofrom Sector 9 to Cyber Hub and discussed the construction of the structures and metro rail line along this narrow corridor. As per GMDA officials, the construction of the metro along this alignment will be a major challenge due to narrow carriageway and heavy traffic on these roads.

“A joint inspection was conducted with officials from GMDA, GMRL and other agencies and the construction of five proposed underpasses/flyovers was discussed in detail. The joint team visited the five sites and the entire alignment along the phase two of the Gurugram Metro project. We have clearly told the GMRL officials that they must construct all the five structures,” said a senior GMDA official, who was present during the inspection.

As per the GMDA plan, six structures, one in the first phase of metro (Bakhtawar Chowk) and five in the second phase will be constructed along the metro route at the cost of ₹350 crore.

While the GMDA will fund the projects, it had been earlier decided by the state government that GMRL will construct a flyover/underpass at Sector 3A-4-5 Chowk on Railway Road, an underpass will be constructed from Railway Road to Sheetla Mata Road in Sector 5, an underpass will be constructed from Bajghera Road towards Sector 5 at Krishna Chowk, a flyover is proposed at Rezangla Chowk and an underpass on Old Delhi Road towards Udyog Vihar from Sushil Aima Road is also proposed.

A senior GMRL official, who is aware of the matter had earlier said that out of proposed five underpasses/ flyovers in the second phase, the corporation will conduct technical and feasibility study of three proposed structures at Old Delhi Road on Krishna Chowk, Rezangla Chowk and Sushil Aima Road.

“These structures are along the metro line and we will take the final call after conducting studies. However, the other two underpasses are not along the alignment and these are likely to be dropped.”

A senior GMRL official, when asked about the proposal to build five grade separators (flyovers/underpasses) said that a detailed discussion was held on the proposal and GMDA has agreed to build four such structures but they were facing difficulty in aligning a grade separator near the Old Delhi road, and it would need an alternative solution. “We have conducted feasibility study for construction of grade separators at four locations and we have decided to construct these as double deckers, so that traffic can pass under these, while metro runs overhead. All these will be included in the final design being finalised for the phase two of the metro project,” he said.

When asked whether there is any possibility of taking the phase two underground, the GMRL official said that this decision could be taken only at the level of state and central government as they were only an execution agency. “The cost of construction could be major issue in this as elevated line costs ₹300 crore to ₹350 crore per kilometre while the underground construction cost would be around ₹500 crore to ₹600 crore per kilometre,” he said.

To be sure, last month, state PWD minister Rao Narbir Singh had written a letter to the union ministry for housing and urban affairs to consider that metro alignment on Old Gurugram should be taken underground to minimise obstruction to traffic and business as both sides of these roads are heavily populated.

“Apart from construction of these underpasses we have also asked the GMRL to ensure that before barricading the main carriageways for the construction of the metro on the central verge on this alignment, it should ensure that service roads should be made working and all obstacles on services roads should be removed. The main issue is that the carriageway available for construction and movement of traffic is narrow and it could lead to congestion,” said the GMDA official, adding that it would be in the long term interest of the city if the second phase of the metro is taken underground.