L-G approves allotment of land for Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor project

The allotment of the land, belonging to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), was "pending for the last two years" and was critical for implementation of RRTS project, said Raj Niwas

Lieutenant Governor (LG) V K Saxena has approved allotment of 297 sqm of land at Jangpura for the Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor project, Raj Niwas officials said on Saturday.

The allotment of the land, belonging to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), was "pending for the last two years" and was critical for implementation of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project, they said.

The semi-high-speed regional rail service RAPIDX on the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor will bring down the travel time between Delhi to Meerut significantly. The project is helmed by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC).

The LG has approved allotment of 297 sqm of land keeping in view the national importance and public interest involved in the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS project, a senior official said.

This land was required for providing connectivity with the stabling yard at Jangpura from the Ring Road at Nehru Nagar for implementation of the 82.15-km semi-high speed rail corridor currently under construction, he said.

In June 2021, the DUSIB had granted working permission for the RRTS on "as is where is" basis, but the transfer of land on permanent basis was pending since then, and therefore, work could not take off freely, the Raj Niwas officials said.

Three other government agencies -- the erstwhile South Delhi Municipal Corporation, the Delhi Jal Board and the housing and urban affairs ministry -- had already transferred their land to the NCRTC, but the DUSIB was yet to transfer its land, they added.

There was no immediate reaction from the DUSIB or the Delhi government on this.

In March last year, the Delhi urban development minister had observed that the entire land in question belonged to the DUSIB and hence, "did not require the approval of the LG", the senior official said.

Subsequently, the urban development minister and the chief minister "approved the transfer of land", he said.

However, the chief secretary pointed out that the land being a reserved subject, required the approval of the LG, the official said and added that accordingly, the chief secretary submitted the proposal to the LG for approval.

But, even as the proposal was "not routed" through the administrative department, that is the urban development department, and was "not forwarded by the minister and the chief minister", the LG noted that the matter was of national significance and public interest, and approved it, the official said.