Jind, Karnal districts new additions to NCR
Syed Ali Ahmed
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 9
The sprawl of the National Capital Region (NCR) just got bigger as the nod has been given for the inclusion of Jind and Karnal districts of Haryana and Muzaffarnagar district of UP as part of the conurbation.
The decision was taken by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) at its 35th meeting held here today. The meeting was presided over by Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, chairman of the NCRPB.
Haryana also agreed to demarcate 500-metre buffer zone for the protection of Mangar Bani green cover at Mangar village in Faridabad district. The buffer zone has been declared as a ‘no-construction zone’.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, ministers of Delhi and Rajasthan governments and senior officials of the UP government were present at the meeting.
Khattar said with the inclusion of Jind and Karnal in NCR, 57 per cent of the state's area had become part of the entity. On the question of Mangar forest, the Haryana CM said it was very important to ensure its preservation.
While addressing the meeting Khattar urged the NCRPB to take up the matter of three proposed dams of Renuka, Kishau and Lakhwar on the Yamuna and its tributaries with the Centre for their expeditious completion.
If these projects are completed, the problem of acute shortage of water in Delhi as well as adjoining districts of Haryana could be resolved to some extent.
Khattar also urged the NCR Planning Board to take up the matter with the Ministry of Civil Aviation for granting in-principle approval to set up an alternate international Airport at Hisar. The site can provide much needed facility of maintenance and repair operations (MRO) for the aircraft in northern India, he added.
The Haryana CM also sought alignment of three Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors - Delhi-Gurgaon-Rewari-Alwar(DGRA), Delhi-Sonipat-Panipat (DSP) and Delhi-Gaziabad-Meerut (DGM) - for providing fast connectivity within the NCR through the central verge or right-of-way, wherever feasible.
He also requested the Union Government to fully fund these projects as they are of national importance. Khattar also requested the board to take the matter with the Ministry of Surface Transport and Highways and the National Highway Authority of India.
On upcoming smart cities and Metro Rail, the Chief Minister said Faridabad and Gurgaon being important destinations and proposed smart cities, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) should re-examine the proposal and come out with a viable solution for providing metro connectivity between these two towns.
