The NCR Transport Corporation (NCRTC), which is developing the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project, said yesterday that modalities for taking up the civil construction work for another stretch of about 33km from Duhai in Ghaziabad to Shatabdipuram in Meerut have been finalised.
“The civil construction work tender for 33km has been awarded to L&T and the works include viaduct and stations. The entire stretch will be elevated section with seven stations at Muradnagar, Modinagar (South), Modinagar (North), Meerut (South), Partapur, Rithani and Shatabdipuram in Meerut,” said Sudhir Sharma, chief public relation officer of NCRTC.
“Now, the detailed planning and resource mobilization strategy is being worked out for commencement of work at the earliest,” Sharma said. With the award of work, the work of RRTS will now spread to about 50 km. The 17km stretch between Sahibabad and Duhai is scheduled to get complete by March 2023.
“The civil construction work on the 17km long priority section between Sahibabad and Duhai is in progress. The piers are already under progress and placing of segments will also start soon. Also, shifting of utilities like electricity lines, etc, is also in progress in Ghaziabad and Meerut,” said another officer from NCRTC.
The entire RRTS stretch between Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut spans over a distance of about 82km with 24 stations, including 21 in the jurisdiction of Uttar Pradesh. The project cost is pegged at Rs 30,274 crore and scheduled for completion by March 2025.
In May, the Ghaziabad district officials during lockdown 3.0 gave permission to NCRTC for resumption of work for the RRTS project. During the same time, the NCRTC also finalised the bids for procurement of rolling stock of the RRTS corridor under the Make in India initiative of the central government.
Under the requirement of the rolling stock, 30 RRTS trains having six coaches each and another set of 10 trains having three coaches each, will be manufactured.
The 30 trains will be used for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor, while the rest 10 will be used for metro-like train services in Meerut. The operations of the 10 trains for local commuters are also part of the RRTS project, the officials said.