GDA seeks DMRC update on Metro extension project

Ghaziabad Development Authority has asked Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to update a project report for metro train extensions connecting Noida’s Sector-62 Blue Line network to Sahibabad. The GDA is prioritizing the Sector 62 to Sahibabad route to provide connectivity to the upcoming Regional Rapid Transit System project. However, the project has faced delays and funding issues, prompting the GDA to explore alternative commuting options. Residents in the area have been advocating for the project for over three years and expect action before the next election.

The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA), which has been considering metro train extensions for the past three years, recently asked the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to update a detailed project report (DPR) submitted in January 2020, officials aware of the matter said.

The report aimed to connect Noida’s Sector-62 Blue Line network to Sahibabad in Ghaziabad.

Officials from the GDA met with DMRC representatives on Monday, urging them to revise the DPR. In January 2020, DMRC submitted a project report to the GDA, estimating a budget of ₹1,517 crore for the Sector-62 to Sahibabad route and ₹1,808.22 crore for the Vaishali to Mohan Nagar route.

The authority had been deliberating since 2019 to bring in metro extensions.

“The GDA has asked DMRC to revise the project report of the Sector 62 to Sahibabad metro route. They are expected to submit the updated DPR in a month. Considering the upcoming Regional Rapid Transit System project, the GDA has prioritized the Sector 62 to Sahibabad route. At Sahibabad, metro commuters will have connectivity to the Sahibabad RRTS station for interchange,” said Manvendra Singh, chief engineer of the GDA.

Currently, Ghaziabad has two metro links—Anand Vihar to Vaishali on the Blue Line and Dilshad Garden to New Bus Adda on the Red Line.

According to GDA officials, commuters traveling from Ghaziabad city to Anand Vihar will board the RapidX trains from New Bus Adda, which are part of the RRTS project. Those heading to Noida will also take the RapidX train from New Bus Adda and then transfer to the metro at Sahibabad, they added.

Due to concerns that linking Mohan Nagar to Vaishali via metro might affect RRTS ridership, the GDA is reconsidering the Sector 62 to Sahibabad link.

Additionally, the GDA is grappling with funding issues that remain unresolved.

In January, the state government denied funding requested by the GDA. Later in May, state officials rejected the authority’s request for 50% state funding for the two proposed metro extensions.

Due to these challenges, the GDA explored various commuting alternatives, such as ropeway connections, Metrolite (a light rail urban transit system for cities with lower ridership), and Metro Neo (a low-cost mass rapid transit system for tier 2 and tier 3 cities). In June, the GDA also considered a tentative plan for a 5.83km link from Sector-62 to Vaishali but ultimately abandoned the idea.

“Funding issues persist, and we may consider obtaining loans from external sources to initiate the project,” added Singh.

Meanwhile, residents in the trans-Hindon region have been advocating for this project for over three years, engaging with district, state, and central-level officials.

“We have held various meetings and sent letters in this regard. We also proposed that the Centre and the state government should consider increasing their share towards the metro projects in Ghaziabad. The Sector-62 to Sahibabad link will provide commuting access to residents of Noida and Ghaziabad. Furthermore, it will help boost ridership of RapidX trains. However, the project has faced significant delays, and people will respond in the next election if nothing concrete is done. Common sense must prevail, and agencies should expedite the project now,” said UB Garg, president of Varishth Nagrik Samaj, Vasundhara, an association of residents and senior citizens.