Delhi Metro's Noida-Ghaziabad link faces cost hike

18 Jan 2024 CW Team

The GDA had requested the DMRC to revise the initial DPR due to funding challenges at the state level, as reported by GDA sources. The first DPR had initially projected the project cost at Rs 15.17 billion, whereas the updated DPR now estimates the cost at Rs 18.73 billion.

The proposed Metro route aims to connect Noida with Sahibabad, featuring a multimodal interchange hub at the Sahibabad station of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS).

Rajesh Kumar Singh, the secretary of GDA, stated, "The revised DPR has been submitted to GDA. This will now be taken to the board and thereafter to the state government." The updated report proposes a funding distribution of 20% by the Centre and the remaining 80% by the Uttar Pradesh government. The state government will determine the final funding breakdown and the contributions of various involved agencies.

Singh added, "The GDA is currently facing a fund crunch. Hence, we have proposed that 80% of the project cost be borne by GDA and UP Awas Vikas, besides a few other agencies. A final call on this will be taken by the state government."

According to the revised DPR, the construction of the proposed Metro link will necessitate 7,690.10 square meters of private land and 19,001.2 square meters of government land. The DMRC has proposed five stations for the 5.017km link, located at Vaibhav Khand, near DPS Indirapuram; Shakti Khand; Vasundhara Sector 7; and Sahibabad.

GDA sources indicated that the primary revision in the project was the escalation of the project cost, while the previous DPR had proposed a similar length, five stations, and a comparable funding pattern for the project.

In January 2020, DMRC had submitted two project DPRs to GDA?one for Rs 15.17 billion for the Sector 62 to Sahibabad route and another for Rs 18.08 billion for the Vaishali to Mohan Nagar route. In 2023, after deliberations, the authority decided to proceed with the Noida Sector 62 to Sahibabad route.

However, the project faced challenges when the state government denied funds for the link in January 2023. In May 2023, the state again rejected the authority's request for 50% funding for the proposed metro link.

"To arrange its share of funds, the GDA may consider obtaining external loans as they did for the Hindon elevated road and also for paying additional land compensation to farmers of Madhuban Bapudham housing scheme," mentioned a GDA official.

Residents, eager for metro connectivity, expressed hope that the revised DPR would expedite the project. UB Garg, president of 'Varishth Nagrik Samaj, Vasundhara,' an association of residents and senior citizens, stated, "This will not only benefit local commuters of Ghaziabad and Noida but also provide us access to RRTS."

In December 2023, residents of Vasundhara held a relay fast, urging the acceleration of the metro link and presenting various demands. Presently, Ghaziabad has Delhi metro?s Blue Line stations at Kaushambi and Vaishali, along with eight stations on the metro?s Red Line network.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) submitted a revised detailed project report (DPR) for the Metro link connecting Noida?s Sector 62 (Electronic City) to Sahibabad in Ghaziabad, revealing an increase of approximately Rs 3.56 billion in the project's cost, according to officials from the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA). The GDA had requested the DMRC to revise the initial DPR due to funding challenges at the state level, as reported by GDA sources. The first DPR had initially projected the project cost at Rs 15.17 billion, whereas the updated DPR now estimates the cost at Rs 18.73 billion. The proposed Metro route aims to connect Noida with Sahibabad, featuring a multimodal interchange hub at the Sahibabad station of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS). Rajesh Kumar Singh, the secretary of GDA, stated, The revised DPR has been submitted to GDA. This will now be taken to the board and thereafter to the state government. The updated report proposes a funding distribution of 20% by the Centre and the remaining 80% by the Uttar Pradesh government. The state government will determine the final funding breakdown and the contributions of various involved agencies. Singh added, The GDA is currently facing a fund crunch. Hence, we have proposed that 80% of the project cost be borne by GDA and UP Awas Vikas, besides a few other agencies. A final call on this will be taken by the state government. According to the revised DPR, the construction of the proposed Metro link will necessitate 7,690.10 square meters of private land and 19,001.2 square meters of government land. The DMRC has proposed five stations for the 5.017km link, located at Vaibhav Khand, near DPS Indirapuram; Shakti Khand; Vasundhara Sector 7; and Sahibabad. GDA sources indicated that the primary revision in the project was the escalation of the project cost, while the previous DPR had proposed a similar length, five stations, and a comparable funding pattern for the project. In January 2020, DMRC had submitted two project DPRs to GDA?one for Rs 15.17 billion for the Sector 62 to Sahibabad route and another for Rs 18.08 billion for the Vaishali to Mohan Nagar route. In 2023, after deliberations, the authority decided to proceed with the Noida Sector 62 to Sahibabad route. However, the project faced challenges when the state government denied funds for the link in January 2023. In May 2023, the state again rejected the authority's request for 50% funding for the proposed metro link. To arrange its share of funds, the GDA may consider obtaining external loans as they did for the Hindon elevated road and also for paying additional land compensation to farmers of Madhuban Bapudham housing scheme, mentioned a GDA official. Residents, eager for metro connectivity, expressed hope that the revised DPR would expedite the project. UB Garg, president of 'Varishth Nagrik Samaj, Vasundhara,' an association of residents and senior citizens, stated, This will not only benefit local commuters of Ghaziabad and Noida but also provide us access to RRTS. In December 2023, residents of Vasundhara held a relay fast, urging the acceleration of the metro link and presenting various demands. Presently, Ghaziabad has Delhi metro?s Blue Line stations at Kaushambi and Vaishali, along with eight stations on the metro?s Red Line network.