GDA to finalise zonal plan for RRTS influence zones in Gzb

Ghaziabad: The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) will soon finalise a zonal plan for special areas along the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor, sources said on Monday

Ghaziabad: The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) will soon finalise a zonal plan for special areas along the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor, sources said on Monday. Officials said that the zonal plan for the RRTS project is getting prepared in line with the new transit-oriented development (TOD) policy, which was recently rolled out by the Uttar Pradesh government.

Ghaziabad, India - October 17, 2022: Construction work underway for a Rapid Rail station on Delhi-Meerut road, in Ghaziabad, India, on Monday, October 17, 2022. (Photo by Sakib Ali /Hindustan Times)

The 82-kilometre-long RRTS project is proposed to link the three cities of Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut with a high-speed train network having 25 stations and 22 of these fall under the jurisdiction of the state of UP.

“The seven stations of the RRTS project in Ghaziabad and two special development areas (SDAs) are getting covered under the zonal plan. This plan will become part of the city’s Master Plan-2031. Under the zonal plan, the physical boundaries of the seven influence zones (around each of RRTS stations) and two SDAs and their respective land usage are being identified. If any changes are required, they too will be incorporated,” said Rajiv Ratan Sah, GDA town planner.

The concept of TOD is fast growing and aims at creating vibrant, sustainable and liveable communities that are generally centered near high-quality train systems.

The state government’s new policy has defined three types of TOD zones.

The first one is the “corridor TOD zone” in a 500-metre radius of the mass transit alignment, while the second encompasses areas in a 1.5-kilometre radius of stations. The third is defined as a “high potential zone” that will include special areas alongside high-speed train corridors, expressways, and highways.

The GDA has already marked out zones under the third category alongside the RRTS corridor in Guldhar (250 hectares) and Duhai (400 hectares) in the draft Master Plan-2031 that is likely to be approved by the government by the end of the year.

The work for the RRTS project is progressing at a fast pace to meet the March 2025 deadline, while a 17-km stretch in Ghaziabad is scheduled to get commissioned in March 2023.

The 17-km section is termed as a “priority section” and it will be the country’s first RRTS stretch to commence operation.

“The consultant preparing the zonal plan is likely to finalise it in a week. Thereafter, it will be incorporated in the draft Master Plan-2031 and will be sent to the state government for a final approval. Once approved, the development, including mixed development of housing and commercial activities of the influence zones and SDAs will take place in line with the zonal plan. It will help recover a substantial cost of the RRTS project and will also bring in revenues for the GDA,” Sah added.

The concept of FAR provides for more vertical expansion and scope of construction increases with an increase in FAR.