NCRTC starts work on bridge over Yamuna for Delhi-Meerut RRTS link

The bridge will run parallel to the existing Delhi Noida Direct flyway and connect Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar RRTS stations.

The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has started the construction work on a 1.35-km-long bridge on Yamuna, which will be the 17th bridge to come up on the river. The bridge is part of the 82-km-long Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project between Delhi and Meerut.

A NCRTC spokesperson said, “The length of the bridge crossing over the river will be around 626 metres and the remaining portion will come up on the floodplain on both sides. We have started digging the foundation for the piers.” (PTI)

The bridge will run parallel to the existing Delhi Noida Direct flyway and connect Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar RRTS stations.

A NCRTC spokesperson said, “The length of the bridge crossing over the river will be around 626 metres and the remaining portion will come up on the floodplain on both sides. We have started digging the foundation for the piers.”

This will be the eighth mass transit corridor to be constructed on the river. The Northern railway is constructing a new bridge parallel to the Old Yamuna bridge. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has four corridors crossing the river and the construction work on the fifth bridge on the Majlis Park-Maujpur corridor started in August last year.

Environment expert CR Babu said, “The agency should ensure that there is no damage to the floodplain and wetlands. The agency should undertake work to restore the ecology and protect the wetland.”

A senior NCRTC official said, “All the construction activities are being carried out following the prescribed guidelines to avoid any adverse impact on the floodplains. Various eco-friendly measures will also be taken during the construction. The muck and debris generated will be disposed of systematically and no dumping will be done on the floodplains.”

Earlier this month, the NCRTC started work at its Anand Vihar station, one of the 22 stations on the Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor. Anand Vihar is an important transit point as it has a railway station, inter-state bus terminal and two Metro corridors --- blue line (Vaishali to Dwarka) and pink line (Majlis Park to Shiv Vihar).