RRTS project: Ghaziabad development authority prepares framework for seven influence zones

The Ghaziabad development authority (GDA) has prepared a framework for seven influence zones and two special development areas (SDAs) along the 82-km route of regional rapid transit system (RRTS) high speed rail project that will link Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut and likely to be commissioned in 2025

The Ghaziabad development authority (GDA) has prepared a framework for seven influence zones and two special development areas (SDAs) along the 82-km route of regional rapid transit system (RRTS) high speed rail project that will link Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut and likely to be commissioned in 2025.

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Authority officials said that the influence zones will fall under a 1.5-km radius centred at each of the seven proposed RRTS stations in Ghaziabad — Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai, Muradnagar, Modinagar (South) and Modinagar (North). The SDAs will be adjacent plots at Guldhar (250 hectares) and Duhai (400 hectares) close to the Delhi Meerut Road and will form a larger township, they added.

“Under the influence zone, we will allow mixed land use and commercial activities upon payment of impact fee for which rules are being framed. The idea behind the influence zones and SDAs is planned development,” said Asheesh Shivpuri, the authority’s chief architect and town planner (CATP).

Influence zones will be used to enhance economic activity around areas by creating walkable communities and easier access to transport.

“The influence zones and SDAs will be incorporated under the Master Plan 2031, which will come into effect next year. The two SDAs will have different zones for residential, commercial, industrial and other categories. Extra purchasable floor-area ratio (FAR) of 2 to 2.5 will also be available for different land uses,” the CATP added.

The city’s Master Plan 2031 is also in its final stage and will incorporate different plans for Ghaziabad, Loni, Modinagar and Muradnagar.

The proposals will now be sent to GDA board for approval and will later be notified by the state government, which had ordered for the proposals to plan development around RRTS stations, said officials.

Under the RRTS project, which is pegged at ₹30,274 crore, the NCR Transport Corporation (NCRTC) is also developing the 17-km priority route from Sahibabad to Duhai where a major maintenance and parking depot for the RRTS trains is also coming up. This section is scheduled to open in March 2023, but officials said that they are hoping to complete it by the end of 2022.