The Hindu : Front Page : Green signal now for Delhi Metro to Noida

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 05, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Green signal now for Delhi Metro to Noida

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Making its first foray beyond the boundaries of the Capital, the Delhi Metro is now all ready to reach Noida by June 2009. An agreement on the Rs. 736-crore project was signed on Friday between the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and Noida, promoting the much talked about concept of the National Capital Region.

According to the agreement, the Metro will cover a distance of 7 kilometres in Noida and will have six stations at Noida Sector 15, Sector 16, Sector 18, Botanical Garden, Golf Course and Sector 32 City Centre.

On behalf of DMRC, the agreement was signed by Director (Projects and Planning) C.B.K. Rao while the Chief Executive Officer of Noida Sanjiv Saran represented the other side. Of the total cost of Rs. 736 crores, Noida will bear the cost of land that would be around Rs. 32 crores, while DMRC will foot the Rs. 93-crore bill for rolling stock.

As for the Rs. 611-crore capital cost of the network, it would be shared by Uttar Pradesh Government and the Union Government in the ratio of 85:15. Noida will now be approaching the Centre for its 15 per cent contribution.

During the signing of the agreement, a cheque for Rs. 5 crores was handed over to DMRC by Noida for initiating work, while another Rs.150 crores is expected to be paid on Wednesday.

DMRC said it hoped to complete the Noida extension by June 2009 along with the 8.07-km Indraprastha-New Ashok Nagar corridor.

Stating that the line -- which at the other end extends up to Dwarka Sub City now -- would come up before the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, DMRC said the proposal had already been sent to the Union Urban Development Ministry for consideration of the Group of Ministers.

While this is the first project to be undertaken by DMRC outside Delhi, the funding arrangement recommended in the detailed project report (DPR) for extension is the same as the one that had been approved by the Union Ministry of Urban Development for extending Line No. 3 (Barakhamba Road-Dwarka) into Dwarka Sub-City.

DMRC said the capital cost of the network at Rs. 611 crores excludes the cost of land and rolling stock required for this work and is based on the assumption that while the Central Government will exempt DMRC from payment of Excise Duty and Custom Duty, the Uttar Pradesh Government will exempt it from payment of Trade Tax and Works Contract Tax. Under the pact, DMRC would also be exempted from all the taxes (namely Property Tax, Electricity Tax, Advertisement Tax, Entry Tax, Labour Tax Welfare cess) in the State.

Also, DMRC said Noida would arrange for rehabilitation of people affected by the extension of the corridor at its cost as per the provision in the DPR.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

News Update

Stories in this Section