State officials ask agencies to pay their share for Ghaziabad

The project is pegged at Rs2,210 crore and as per the present funding pattern, different UP departments have to share Rs1,479.6 crore, in a specified ratio, with the rest being contributed by Government of India and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

The Uttar Pradesh government officials have asked the state agencies to expedite contribution of funds for the 9.41km metro link in Ghaziabad. UP principal secretary (industry department) Alok Sinha on Monday asked officials of the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC) to contribute their share.

UP principal secretary (industry department) Alok Sinha on Monday asked officials of the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC) to contribute their share. (Sakib Ali/HT File)

As per the proposal, the project has eight stations on an elevated section in Ghaziabad, which are under construction. The project is pegged at Rs2,210 crore and as per the present funding pattern, different UP departments have to share Rs1,479.6 crore, in a specified ratio, with the rest being contributed by Government of India and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

“During the meeting, the principal secretary asked UPSIDC to contribute its share towards the metro. The agency officials said that they want an equity in the project but they were told that the project has no special purpose vehicle concept and is being funded by different UP agencies, including Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA),” said AK Gupta, officiating chief engineer, GDA, who attended the meeting in Lucknow.

The GDA has paid the majority of its Rs 695.8 crore share, while the other agencies — municipal corporation, UP Avas Vikas and UPSIDC — have to contribute Rs246.35 crore, Rs440.45 crore, and Rs97 crore, respectively.

“The Avas Vikas has also agreed to pay its share. There will be a book adjustment for the municipal corporation’s share as GDA has taken over the corporation’s land and the authority cannot pay directly to the agency. UPSIDC was told that unlike the Lucknow metro, the state government is not contributing to the project and instead, departments will share the cost,” Gupta said.

During his recent visit, principal secretary (housing), Mukul Singhal had said that a quick appraisal of the 9.41km metro project was taken up by Lucknow metro officials and appraisal report was sent to DMRC. Once the DMRC clears the points raised in the appraisal report, the revised detailed project report (DPR) of the Ghaziabad metro project will be put before the state cabinet.

The cost of the project was revised from Rs1,770 crore to Rs2,210 crore in December 2014. The clearance of the revised DPR will enable the Ghaziabad metro project get a grant of Rs402.4 crore from Government of India.