NCRTC Considers New Delhi-Gurugram Rail Alignment

18 Sep 2023 CW Team

Under this proposed plan, the new alignment would extend from Aerocity to Rajiv Chowk via Cyber City along the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway. This would replace the previous alignment that passed through Kapashera, Udyog Vihar, Atul Kataria Chowk, Maharana Pratap Chowk, Signature Tower, and Rajiv Chowk.

If this new alignment gains approval, it could have significant benefits for the population residing along the Old Delhi-Gurgaon Road and in Old Gurugram, both of which have been eagerly awaiting the Metro and Rapid Rail projects for several years.

The NCRTC's RRTS corridor construction is divided into three phases. In the first phase, a 107km segment from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behror (SNB) Urban Complex, just ahead of Bawal in Haryana, will be developed. This stretch will pass through Gurugram, Manesar, Panchgaon, and Rewari.

The second phase will extend the line from SNB to Sotanala, passing through Shahjahanpur, Neemrana, and Behror. In the third phase, the stretch from SNB to Alwar will be constructed, as indicated by information shared by the Haryana government in May of the same year when it approved the project.

However, on August 30, 2023, Anil Kumar Shrangarya, Director of Projects at NCRTC, wrote to Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation Limited, stating, "The approved RRTS alignment between Aerocity and Rajiv Chowk passes through Kapashera border, Udyog Vihar, Atul Kataria Chowk, Sector 16 station. However, the Secretary, MOHUA [Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs], had expressed a desire to explore the option of routing the alignment via Cyber City-Iffco Chowk."

The letter went on to explain that, since the previous proposal of an elevated RRTS alignment via Cyber City had not been accepted by NHAI in 2017-18, the current proposal and alignment were discussed in detail with NHAI. It was noted that in a meeting between the NHAI chairman and the managing director of NCRTC on August 24, 2023, NHAI agreed to address the remaining issues, provided that concerns related to the right of way and land availability were resolved.

NCRTC identified several issues in the letter, including the presence of heavy-duty electricity lines along the proposed alignment and the need for private and licensed land along the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway. The letter also mentioned that NCRTC intended to construct an underground station at Cyber City, requiring 6500 square meters of land. Additionally, an elevated station at Iffco Chowk was planned, necessitating land acquisition from private owners and state government agencies.

When questioned about the potential alignment change, Karan Singh, Director of Operations and Business Development at HMRTC, stated that while a proposal for alignment modification is under discussion, no final decisions have been made yet.

The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), responsible for the construction of the 107km Rapid Rail Transport System (RRTS) connecting Delhi, Gurugram, and Behror, has put forth a proposal to alter the RRTS alignment. This potential adjustment could impact the project's timeline. Sources familiar with the matter have reported that the NCRTC is considering shifting the Gurugram-SNB section's alignment to run alongside the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway.Under this proposed plan, the new alignment would extend from Aerocity to Rajiv Chowk via Cyber City along the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway. This would replace the previous alignment that passed through Kapashera, Udyog Vihar, Atul Kataria Chowk, Maharana Pratap Chowk, Signature Tower, and Rajiv Chowk.If this new alignment gains approval, it could have significant benefits for the population residing along the Old Delhi-Gurgaon Road and in Old Gurugram, both of which have been eagerly awaiting the Metro and Rapid Rail projects for several years.The NCRTC's RRTS corridor construction is divided into three phases. In the first phase, a 107km segment from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behror (SNB) Urban Complex, just ahead of Bawal in Haryana, will be developed. This stretch will pass through Gurugram, Manesar, Panchgaon, and Rewari.The second phase will extend the line from SNB to Sotanala, passing through Shahjahanpur, Neemrana, and Behror. In the third phase, the stretch from SNB to Alwar will be constructed, as indicated by information shared by the Haryana government in May of the same year when it approved the project.However, on August 30, 2023, Anil Kumar Shrangarya, Director of Projects at NCRTC, wrote to Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation Limited, stating, The approved RRTS alignment between Aerocity and Rajiv Chowk passes through Kapashera border, Udyog Vihar, Atul Kataria Chowk, Sector 16 station. However, the Secretary, MOHUA [Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs], had expressed a desire to explore the option of routing the alignment via Cyber City-Iffco Chowk.The letter went on to explain that, since the previous proposal of an elevated RRTS alignment via Cyber City had not been accepted by NHAI in 2017-18, the current proposal and alignment were discussed in detail with NHAI. It was noted that in a meeting between the NHAI chairman and the managing director of NCRTC on August 24, 2023, NHAI agreed to address the remaining issues, provided that concerns related to the right of way and land availability were resolved.NCRTC identified several issues in the letter, including the presence of heavy-duty electricity lines along the proposed alignment and the need for private and licensed land along the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway. The letter also mentioned that NCRTC intended to construct an underground station at Cyber City, requiring 6500 square meters of land. Additionally, an elevated station at Iffco Chowk was planned, necessitating land acquisition from private owners and state government agencies.When questioned about the potential alignment change, Karan Singh, Director of Operations and Business Development at HMRTC, stated that while a proposal for alignment modification is under discussion, no final decisions have been made yet. See also: NCRTC seeks bids for stable Delhi-Meerut RRTS mobile networkDelhi-Meerut RRTS Tunneling: Faster Connectivity