Lieutenant Governor (LG) V K Saxena has given his approval for the allotment of 297 sqm of land in Jangpura for the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor project, according to officials from Raj Niwas. The allotment, which had been pending for the past two years, is crucial for the implementation of the RRTS project, which aims to provide a semi-high-speed regional rail service known as RAPIDX on the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor, significantly reducing travel time between the two cities. The project is being led by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC).
Establishing connectivity
The approval for the land allotment was granted by the LG, considering the national importance and public interest associated with the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS project, as stated by a senior official. The land is required to establish connectivity between the stabling yard at Jangpura and the Ring Road at Nehru Nagar, supporting the construction of the 82.15-km semi-high-speed rail corridor.
In June 2021, the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) had granted working permission for the RRTS on an “as is where is” basis. However, the transfer of land on a permanent basis had been pending since then, impeding the progress of the project, according to officials from Raj Niwas. While three other government agencies had already transferred their land to the NCRTC, the DUSIB was yet to complete the transfer process.
No immediate response has been received from the DUSIB or the Delhi government regarding this matter. Last year, the Delhi urban development minister had stated that the entire land in question belonged to the DUSIB and did not require the approval of the LG. Subsequently, the urban development minister and the chief minister had approved the transfer of land. However, it was pointed out by the chief secretary that the land, being a reserved subject, required the LG’s approval. Consequently, the chief secretary submitted the proposal to the LG for consideration.
Despite the proposal not being routed through the administrative department, namely the urban development department, and not being forwarded by the minister and the chief minister, the LG acknowledged the national significance and public interest of the matter and granted approval for the land allotment.
(With inputs from PTI)