Feasibility report sought for extending Metro’s Red Line with Gzb railway stn

The Thakurdwara flyover is standing in the way of extending the Metro till Ghaziabad railway station

Officials of the Ghaziabad development authority (GDA) said on Friday that they have written to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) asking them to prepare a feasibility report for extending the Metro’s Red Line from its last metro station at New Bus Adda to Ghaziabad railway station. The only obstacle standing in the way of the proposed route is the Thakurdwara flyover, which is constructed on the median of Grand Trunk (GT) Road, said officials.

Currently, the Red Line of the Delhi Metro has eight stations in Ghaziabad and constructed on an elevated section built on pillars at the median of GT Road (Sakib Ali /Hindustan Times)

The Red Line of the DMRC terminates at New Bus Adda metro station in Ghaziabad. Officials said they want to improve the connectivity of the last station on the Red Line with the Ghaziabad railway station, which is proposed for redevelopment and will unfold into a model city centre station at an estimated cost of about ₹1,000 crore.

The proposed project will have all modern amenities for passengers, besides commercial facilities, said officials.

“We have decided to extend the Red Line of the Metro to the railway station keeping in mind the future developments at the station. In this context, we have asked the DMRC to give us a feasibility report on whether the extension is possible, and if possible, whether the connectivity will be elevated or underground,” said Krishna Karunesh, the authority’s vice chairperson.

Currently, the Red Line of the Delhi Metro has eight stations in Ghaziabad and constructed on an elevated section built on pillars at the median of GT Road.

“The Thakurdwara flyover (also constructed on the median of GT Road) is standing in the way of extending the Metro till Ghaziabad railway station. Hence, a feasibility report has been sought. It is a point of concern that the point where the metro will terminate (after the extension) is at some distance, about 300-400 metres, from GT Road,” said the vice chairperson.

Officials said the estimated cost of extending the Metro per kilometre will be around ₹300-400 crore while an urban passenger ropeway system would cost around ₹90-100 crore.

“We are considering the ropeway system too as it has a deeper reach and will help passengers get down near the railway station. We are just waiting for the feasibility report from the DMRC,” said Karunesh.

In September, the GDA also got a detailed project report prepared for installing the urban passenger ropeway system for connecting the Mohan Nagar metro station on the Red Line to Vaishali metro station on the DMRC’s Blue line. The ropeway system is estimated to cost about ₹487 crore for connecting the 5.1km route between the two metro stations. Officials said they were going ahead with the ropeway system as it is more cost effective than Metro.