E-Paper
U.P. govt releases ₹350 cr for Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS
The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated ₹350 crore to accelerate the development of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project, aimed at improving connectivity between Delhi and major cities in the state. The funds will be used to boost the project in Ghaziabad and Meerut. The RRTS is a semi-high-speed rail corridor that will connect Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Meerut, and is expected to be completed by 2025. The allocated amount is part of the total funds allocated for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Rapid rail project for the financial year 2023-24.
The Uttar Pradesh government has sanctioned allocation of ₹350 crore to expedite development of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project. A government statement on Friday said the state government has already issued an order regarding the allocation of funds to the managing director (MD) of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC).
The government intends to improve the connectivity between Delhi and all major cities in the state. The ongoing effort is also being seen as a meaningful initiative in this context. ₹350 crore released is from the remaining ₹956 crore of the total ₹1,306 crore that the state government has allocated for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Rapid rail project for the financial year 2023-24.
“The allocation of ₹350 crore will rejuvenate and accelerate the pending tasks within the project. Specifically, the areas in Ghaziabad and Meerut that are covered by the project will receive a significant boost,” the statement added.
The Delhi-Meerut RRTS is a semi-high-speed rail corridor currently under construction. This corridor will connect Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut. It is one of the three rapid rail corridors planned under the RAPIDX Project. Once completed, it will be the country’s first-of-its-kind rapid transit project. Currently, work is underway on phase one of this project.
This project, which is 82.15 km long, was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 8, 2019. It is expected to be functional by 2025. The responsibility of giving a concrete shape to the project has been assigned to the MD, NCRTC. While the project is being implemented according to the guidelines of the Indian government by the NCRTC, the Uttar Pradesh government will periodically review the progress of the activities under the project.
The Uttar Pradesh government has mentioned this in the rules and conditions issued for the state’s part in the project. Additionally, the sanctioned amount of state share will not be withdrawn in lump sum and will be used as per required, the statement said.
“The actual implementation of the mentioned activities will begin only after obtaining technical approval at a competent level to finalise the project. The current limit for completing the allocated activities for the state part is set as March 31, 2024, and upon completion of the activities, the NCRTC will provide the utilisation certificate to the state government by April 30, 2024,” the statement said.
