Dilshad Garden-Gzb section may be thrown open to public by Dec

Ghaziabad: Aiming to boost transportation in the city, Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA), vice-chairperson Kanchan Verma held a meeting with the officials of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and took stock of the progress on the Dilshad Garden-New Bus Stand metro corridor. The officials had detailed discussions over the metro trials, their operations, mechanics and final costing of the phase-II metro project.

"The DMRC board has assured us that it will complete the trial runs by the end of November. We expect that once the trials get completed and all the necessary inspections and tests are done on the track, we will start full fledged operations on the track and it will be thrown open to the commuters," said Verma.

The officer didn't confirm a fix date for the commissioning of project but said that the authority is working hard to open up the track to public by December this year. "The track is ready and trials are already underway. Construction work at lifts, escalators and other minor mechanical works are in its last stages. Various teams of GDA officials have been conducting a survey for traffic management along the route. Once the DMRC submits its final costing, we will push Centre to release their share of Rs 402 crore for the project" Verma added.

GDA officials also said that the initial work for the phase-III metro project from Noida Sector 62 to Sahibabad and Vaishali to Mohan Nagar corridors will also be started soon as the DMRC has been tasked to submit the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the project in next 15 days to the authority.

"DMRC will submit a DPR on phase-III metro project in 15 days to the authority after which we will decide for the funding of project. Our first priority is to finish the phase-II metro project and then give a pace to phase-III project," a senior GDA officer said.

The Dilshad Garden-New Bus Stand metro corridor would be the second metro line in Ghaziabad after Vaishali and the first metro link connecting the interiors of Ghaziabad.