Ghaziabad authority yet to pay Delhi Metro over Rs1 crore for preparing project report

The GDA is yet to pay Rs1.1 crore to the Delhi Metro for preparing a detailed project report on the Blue Line’s extension to Indirapuram

The Ghaziabad development authority (GDA) is yet to pay Rs1.1 crore to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for preparing a detailed project report (DPR) on a project, according to GDA officials.

GDA officials said the fund for preparing the DPR was approved during the infrastructure development funds meeting of the authority held in Meerut in April 2016. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The authority’s board had cleared the proposal in September 2016 to pay DMRC the amount for preparing the DPR for extending the existing Blue Line service from Noida’s Sector 62 metro to Indirapuram.

“The DMRC has requested payment, but the amount has not been paid yet. The engineering department will have to look into whether the amount is to be paid or will be withheld for some more time. Anyway, preparing the DPR will not take much time,” said TR Yadav, financial controller, GDA.

GDA vice-chairman Vijay Kumar Yadav could not be reached for comment.

Last September, officials had proposed extending the Blue Line service from Noida Sector 62 metro station to Indirapuram and further to Mohan Nagar. They had also proposed the extension of the present operational Vaishali route to Mohan Nagar, making it an interchange station.

“A partial payment has been made, but the full amount has not been paid yet,” said a DMRC spokesperson.

GDA officials said the fund for preparing the DPR for both extensions was approved during the infrastructure development funds meeting held in Meerut last April. However, the authority is still struggling to manage funds for the proposed 9.41km metro extension from Dilshad Garden to New bus stand in Ghaziabad, they added.

The extension from Vaishali to Mohan Nagar has a proposed transit route of around 5km while the other extension from Indirapuram to Mohan Nagar will span around 4.5km. The proposal to extend both the routes towards Mohan Nagar and make it a major interchange station was cleared during the last GDA board meeting held in April 2016.