The National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), falling under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), has asked the Delhi Government to expedite the approval pertaining to Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) corridor connecting Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut.
The proposed corridor is also known as high speed rail corridor. In a related development, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation limited (NCRTC) which is executing the RRTS project, has allowed the Uttar Pradesh Government, to run the metro train on the same high speed railway track within the Meerut.
This is the first time that metro train and high speed rail will run on the same track. The high-speed rail will cover the distance from Meerut to New Delhi in around 30 minutes.
As per latest information, pre-construction activities have been started and the construction works is expected to be started from July 2018 but the Delhi Government has yet to approve the detailed project report to this effect.
According to sources, the Uttar Pradesh Government has requested the NCRTC to allow them to use high speed rail track for metro train within Meerut city. The metro train will cater local passengers. As per initial estimates, six to seven metro stations will be made for metro passengers.
Sources said that the Uttar Pradesh Government has already approved the DPR. RRTS is different from metro as it caters to passengers looking to travel relatively longer distance with fewer stops and at higher speed. RRTS is 3 times faster than Metro.
Commuting from Delhi to Meerut and vice versa, will get smoother with the Delhi Government considering giving the green signal to the first line of the RRTS corridor between Delhi and Meerut.
According to a minute of the meeting accessed by the Pioneer, the Ministry has requested the Delhi Government to provide the required approval expeditiously.
At the meeting with NCRPB, the Delhi Government has sought some clarification on the implications of Goods and Services Tax and the change of alignment of the corridor.
The NCRTC, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) which is implementing the RRTS, however, is yet to give the fresh funding pattern as per GST. It has also made minor changes in the alignment of the corridor.
Sources in the Government said that DPR report is likely to be placed before the Delhi Cabinet in the next 15 days. "Once the approval is obtained from the Delhi Government, the DPR would be submitted to the Ministry of HUA for further approval," the sources added.