RRTS work restricted in Ghaziabad, Meerut till Kanwar Yatra gets over

Ghaziabad: Major civil construction work for the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project has been halted on Delhi-Meerut Road, between Ghaziabad and Meerut

Ghaziabad: Major civil construction work for the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project has been halted on Delhi-Meerut Road, between Ghaziabad and Meerut. Officials of the NCR Transport Corporation (NCRTC), the agency executing the RRTS project, said that restricted work conditions will be in place for a week and normalcy will return on the Kanwar Yatra concludes on July 27.

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The 82-kilometre long RRTS project spans Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut and is being developed at a cost of ₹30,274 crore. The project comprises a 12-km underground section, while the rest of is elevated on pillars, being constructed on the median of Delhi-Meerut Road in Ghaziabad and Meerut.

The Delhi-Meerut Road faces major restrictions at present as entry of vehicles is not allowed due to the influx of Kanwariyas from Haridwar. The Ghaziabad and Meerut traffic police have announced major diversions which will be in place till the morning of July 27.

“As a result of the ongoing Kanwar Yatra, we have halted all major construction work on the Delhi Meerut Road in Ghaziabad and Meerut, along with stopping the movement of heavy machinery. This will allow safe passage to Kanwariyas. The resources have been diverted accordingly to depots, stations and tasks like erecting of signalling, overhead equipment and track lying,” said Puneet Vats, chief public relations officer, NCRTC.

“Some internal work at stations and underground tunnelling work (Delhi-Ghaziabad and in Meerut) will be in progress. Work will be resumed in full capacity once the Kanwar Yatra concludes on July 27. The restricted work for a week will not hamper progress of the entire project,” he added.

This year’s Kanwar Yatra is being held after two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Officials expect that Ghaziabad will witness a movement of about three million Kanwariyas this season.

The NCRTC has already barricaded areas around the overground pillars which are being constructed for the project. According to official estimates, construction of pillars on 44km and the viaduct on about 27km have been completed at present.

Officials informed that pillar and viaduct work has been restricted on the Delh-Meerut Road. They added that major restriction is imposed on a 55-km stretch from Ghaziabad to Meerut.

The restriction of work also includes a 17km priority section of Sahibabad-Duhai in Ghaziabad, including major portion on Delhi-Meerut Road.

This 17km section will be the first in the country to witness operations of RRTS trains and is scheduled to become operational in March 2023. The entire 82km route will get commissioned in March 2025.

“The movement of Kanwariyas has increased and it is likely that number will further go up in the last four days. Hence, diversions and plans have been put into effect,” said Vipin Kumar, additional district magistrate (city).

The major areas affected on the Kanwar route includes Mohan Nagar, Ghaziabad city, Duhai, Morta, Muradnagar, Modinagar and other areas on the Delhi-Meerut Road in Meerut district.