The Ministry of Finance's Project Investment Board (PIB) has approved the extension of Rithala-Bawana-Narela corridor till Kundli under Delhi Metro Rail Project Phase-IV, which would cost `6231 crore.
The corridor will ensure seamless connectivity between Ghaziabad (UP), Delhi and Kundli (Haryana) and is estimated to have a daily ridership of 1.26 lakh by 2028 when it is completed and 3.8 lakh by 2055. The corridor is planned as an extension of existing Red Line (line number 1) and is 26.463 km long out of which 25.483 km is elevated and 0.980 km is at-grade.
Interestingly, this corridor was the part of the Shahdara-Bawana corridor in 1998 during the first phase of Delhi Metro project, which was restricted to Rithala. The proposal corridor will help to connect Delhi dehat or rural areas of the national Capital, who were waiting to get connect the metro for the past 20 years.
As per the approved proposal, the Rithala-Narela-Kundli Metro Corridor will be constructed at a cost of `6231 crore with the Delhi portion estimated at `5685.22 crore and the Haryana portion at `545.77 crore. Nearly 40 per cent of the cost of the Delhi component will be borne by the Central Government, of which the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) alone will be putting in a grant of `1,000 crore. Of the remaining cost, 37.5 per cent will come from bilateral/multilateral loans and about 20 per cent from the Delhi Government. For the Haryana portion, while the Haryana Government will provide grants amounting to 80 per cent, the remaining 20 per cent will come through grants by Centre.
This 26.5 km line with 21 stations, to be completed within four years after sanction, will massively improve connectivity of the Narela-Bawana-Alipur areas with the remaining city and bring about an infrastructure boom in the area. The 26.5 km long corridor will be completely elevated and is likely to have the following stations: Rohini Sector 25, Sector 26, Sector 31, Sector 32, Sector 36, Barwala, Rohini Sector 35, Sector 34, Barwala Industrial Area, Bawana JJ Colony, Sannoth, New Sannoth, Depot Station, Bhorgarh, Narela Anaaj Mandi, Narela DDA Sports Complex, Narela, Narela Sector-5, Kundli and Nathupur.
The project will provide impetus to growth and development of the Narela-Bawana Sub-city and also address the long-pending requirements of the Rohini Sub-city.
The Narela Sub-city, where DDA under direct supervision of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena is developing an education hub with campuses of seven institutions including Delhi University, Multi-Modal Logistic Park along UER-II, Corporate Offices / IT-ITeS Parks, an AIIMS and IGTUW Medical Campus, will get a major boost with by the construction of this lifeline by Delhi Metro.
The Phase IV project involves development of 103.93 km long metro rail network comprising six corridors with an investment of Rs 468 billion. The three corridors to be developed on priority basis are Maujpur-Mukundpur (12.31 km), Janakpuri West-RK Ashram (29.26 km) and Aerocity-Tughlakabad (23.62 km).
The area already houses Delhi Technological University, NIT Delhi, National Institute of Homoeopathy, Raja Harish Chandra Hospital, Anaaj Mandi, Smriti Van and various DDA Housing Projects. With the coming of this Metro Corridor, all these institutions and housing colonies will get much-needed connectivity with other parts.
Similarly, in the Rohini Sub-city, the Heliport at Sector-36, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Ambience Mall, Swarn Jayanti Park, Sport Complex in Sector-14, the Rohini District Court Complex and the Forensic Science Laboratory, will get further connected to the Metro Network.
