Kamal Nath gives `in-principle’ approval for regional rapid transit system in NCR

Urban development minister Kamal Nath has ''in-principle'' approved the concept proposal of implementing a regional rapid transit system (RRTS) in three important corridors in the NCR, viz Delhi-Gurgaon-Alwar, Delhi-Sonepat-Panipat and Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut.

Nath has directed the NCR planning board (NCRPB) to explore innovative funding mechanisms like exploiting transit-oriented development potential, monetisation of land and PPP model for implementing these capital-intensive projects.

High-speed connectivity between the regional centres of NCR and Delhi will make the physical distance shorter and allow these regional towns to capture the economic impulse and density generated by Delhi, the minister said.

The idea is to integrate the RRTS with the Delhi Metro. This faster connectivity will reduce pressure on the national capital's infrastructure by opening up the region, including regional housing market, he said.

The minister stressed the need to focus on the sub-urbanisation process and infrastructure development outside Delhi to enable other areas of NCR to absorb the load on the capital's resources.

NCRPB, he said, should take the lead in planning and developing greenfield townships on these transport corridors in partnership with the concerned state governments and directed NCRPB to explore the possibility of drawing from world-class experiences and best practices with the help of technical assistance from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Reviewing the NCR Regional Plan-2021 proposals regarding regional-level land use and settlement policies, he emphasised on the implementation aspect and said that the NCRPB should be more pro-active in enforcing the policies prescribed in the regional and functional plans as these have been finalised in consultation with the participating states and have been agreed to by the highest levels in the state since the chief ministers of all the participating states are members of the NCR board.

He said adherence of these policies by various central and state implementing agencies and NCRPB's active role in enforcing them is necessary, in order to avoid haphazard developments and achieve harmonised and balanced development of the National Capital Region.