Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal on Friday said that Haryana Metro Rail Corporation (HMRC) would be formed soon to usher in a new era for transport in Haryana, following the model of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
A Secretary-level officer of the Government of India will be appointed as the Chairman of the corporation, and an administrative officer from the Government of Haryana will serve as its Managing Director. This move sets the stage for a state-of-the-art metro system within Haryana, aiming to streamline connectivity and boost overall development. Additionally, work on the Rapid Railway Track System (RRTS) from Gurugram to Bhiwadi is expected to commence shortly.
Following the annual function of the Haryana Railway Infrastructure Development Corporation (HRIDC) and Haryana Rail Orbital Rail Corridor (HORC), and inaugurating their new office building, Kaushal said that Haryana is the first state in Northern India to develop a modern railway system by establishing a railway corporation. He commended the corporation's achievements and expressed confidence in their future endeavors.
The chief secretary said that the construction work of the Kurukshetra elevated track, undertaken by Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (HRIDC) at a cost of Rs 350 crore, is in its final stages and is expected to be completed by March this year. This track will eliminate five manned level crossings on the Kurukshetra-Narwana railway line, significantly improving the operation and safety of rail and road traffic in Kurukshetra city.
He highlighted the progress of the Haryana Rail Orbital Rail Corridor (HORC), an associate company of the corporation, which is laying a 126 km long mid-high-speed railway track with overhead electrification from Palwal to Sonipat via Sohna, Manesar, and Kharkhoda for double-stack container freight. Kaushal said that the land acquisition work has been completed by the Haryana government for this project, and compensation of Rs 1100 crore has been provided to the farmers. This railway project encompasses parts of Sonipat, Rohtak, Jhajjar, and Gurugram districts and is being undertaken by the corporation through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with HSIIDC, GMDA, and private companies Maruti and Al Cargo.
The Chief Secretary emphasized that Haryana, through the establishment of a Railway Corporation, is leading as the first state to develop a modern railway system in Northern India. Speaking at the function, Vivek Joshi, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Government of India, suggested that the Haryana government could secure a long-term loan from the National Bank for Finance and Infrastructure to advance its rail projects. Rajesh Agrawal, Managing Director, Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation, highlighted the progress of various railway projects of the corporation. He mentioned that the corporation is providing consultancy services to connect Hisar Airport to Delhi airport, Sirsa to Chandigarh via Uklana-Narwana, Karnal to Yamunanagar, and Gurugram to Farrukh Nagar to Jhajjar.