Process to identify land for rapid transit system begins

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, March 11

The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has started the process to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor in a bid to expand the proposed corridor from Delhi to Karnal from Delhi to Panipat.

NCRTC, an executing agency, is identifying land parallel to NH-44 for the corridor.

“The NCRTC has been given nod to conduct the drone survey to prepare the DPR. I had had a meeting with the officials of the NCRTC. I have assured cooperation from the district administration to the executing agency,” said Nishant Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner.

“We are hopeful the DPR will be finalised by the end of June. After passing by the state government, it will be sent to the Union Government,” said the DC.

Earlier, the corridor was planned up to Panipat from Delhi and the length of the project was 103 km with 17 stations at an estimated cost of Rs 29,000 crore. But after the intervention of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, now the project has been extended to Karnal, taking the length to 130 km.

Under the new plan, three new stations including Gharaunda, Karnal South near Madhuban and Karnal North near new bus stand have been added, taking the number of proposed stations to 20.

Most parts of this project would be elevated. It would be underground at some places, said the DC.

As per the authorities, the project will provide comfortable and fast transit between Delhi and Karnal. Once constructed, the corridor is expected to bring down the travel time between Delhi and Karnal.

“It will not only cut down the travel time but will also bring environmental and economic benefits to the National Capital Region (NCR),” said Yadav, adding that it would also reduce the burden on the NH-44 and Railways.

He informed that earlier the expansion to Karnal was to be taken in the second phase, but now it is being taken in the first phase.

It was a long-pending demand of the residents, who had raised it at several platforms including with the CM and with former Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.

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