The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has asked the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for the Metrolite project connecting two metro routes, namely the Vaishali to Mohan Nagar stretch and Noida Sector 62 to Sahibabad stretch. The plan for a Metrolite has been given preference over the ropeway, neo metro and metro extension projects proposed by the authority earlier in the area.
Metro Lite refers to an urban transit system planned in cities with lower ridership projections, conceptualised to serve as a feeder system for the existing metro systems.
Ghaziabad has two metro routes that are part of the Delhi Metro Blue Line operating between Vaishali and Anand Vihar and the New Bus Adda to Dilshad Garden section on the Red Line. A pillar has also been developed on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway to facilitate the Noida Sector 62-Sahibabad link.
RK Gupta, chief engineer, GDA, said that DMRC had earlier made the DPR for the metro extension project here, and since the groundwork in terms of route and land requirement is already there, the authority would not be required to pay DMRC this time. As per the officials, the passengers per hour in the peak direction (PHPDT) is among the factors favouring this project. The PHPDT for neo metro is 8,000 in the best-case scenario, while it goes up to 15,000 for Metrolite. The PHPDT for the metro extension was 11,000, and for the ropeway, it was 4,000.
The cost of the Metrolite project is Rs 150 crore per km, while the cost for the neo metro ranges between Rs 75 to 80 crore per km. However, irrespective of the option GDA chooses, the funding may pose a problem because the authority will not fund either project.
Once the DPR is prepared, the authority will send it to the state government for approval and also seek funding.
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According to Gupta, the GDA had decided on the PPP mode. However, the experience from the Metrolite projects in Hyderabad and Mumbai has shown that this model is ineffective. Thus, the funding of the project will depend on the state and central governments.
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