NHAI Agreed To Take Up RRTS Projects In NCR Worth Rs. 53,000 cr
NHAI has agreed to take Delhi-Panipat and Delhi-Alwar Regional Rapid Transit Systems (RRTS) projects worth Rs. 53,000 crore, which would help in reducing the project completion time by three years and will help in reducing the traffic congestion in the national capital region.
“National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has in principle agreed to construction of these two projects along NH-1 and NH-8. NHAI also in principle, agreed to take up the Urban Extension Road-2 which would help in easing traffic congestion in Delhi,” according to an official source from Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
According to the official sources, it was decided during a meeting between, Deepak Kumar, Chairman of NHAI and Durga Shanker Mishra, Secertary Housing and Urban Affairs.
As per the preliminary estimates of NCRTC based on a different alignment made earlier, the 111 km Delhi-Sonipat-Panipat RRTS project would cost about Rs.16,500 cr and the 180 km Delhi-Rewari-Alwar line to cost about Rs.37,000 cr.
The one hour meeting was also attended by Uday Pratap Singh, Vice-Chairman of DDA, V.K.Singh, MD of National Capital Regional Transport Corporation (NCRTC) and senior officials of the Ministry and concerned organisations attended the one hour long meeting.
A ground survey for aligning the two RRTS projects has been already done by NCRTC and building them along National Highways significantly reduces construction time by over three years besides bringing down costs substantially, since land acquisition would not be required.
These RRTS projects would significantly reduce the load on the two National Highways and their alignment along NHs would not affect widening and expansion programme of NHAI and in any manner impact traffic flows on the highways.
NCRTC has proposed that Right of Way (ROW) over a width of over 60 metres along NH-1 and NH-8 will be used either beyond service lane or between four lane main carriageway, so that minimum land is affected, for building the RRTS projects on a Viaduct.
NHAI and NCRTC would jointly prepare an Action Plan after examining the issues related to future expansion plans and possible congestion points and the options to address them.
NHAI will prepare a feasibility report for Urban Extension Road-2 in a month’s time for further discussions.
