Samajwadi Party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav on Sunday accused the Centre of delaying the Metro project in Ghaziabad.He said that despite his repeated efforts, the Government was dilly-dallying on the project extending from Dilshad Garden in Delhi to the New Bus Stand.
"The Centre has been treating us in a step-motherly manner. I have taken up the matter with the Surface Transport Ministry and several other departments, but the Government is adamant not to grant the approval. I do not know how much time they will take in granting permission to the project," Yadav said after addressing a public meeting in Ghaziabad on Sunday."I do not see the project getting executed in near future," he added.
Earlier, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA), in its board meeting, had approved the project extending the Dilshad Garden -- Rithala Metro link to the New Bus Stand in Ghaziabad. The 9.41 km-stretch is estimated to cost around Rs 1,591 crore.
The proposed elevated corridor would have seven stations — Shaheed Nagar, Raj Bagh, Rajendra Nagar, Shyam Park, Mohan Nagar, Arthala and New Bus Stand.
The Dilshad Garden — NewBus Stand Metro link is expected to benefit around one lakh people residing along these stretches, apart from a sizable mass of people from adjacent towns like Murad Nagar, Modi Nagar and Meerut that flock daily to the Capital for livelihood. "I had seen the traffic snarls during my term as the District Magistrate a few years ago," GDA vice-chairman Santosh Yadav said.
“The traffic condition is deteriorating by the day and I decided to apprise the entire situation to the Government. It, in turn asked us to go ahead with it,” the GDA officer added.