State to join NCR Transport Corp

Officials said while Haryana,Delhi and Rajasthan had given their in-principle approval to acquire a 12.5 per cent equity in the corporation,the Centre was awaiting a response from Uttar Pradesh. A high-level meeting chaired by Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Atul Gupta,held on March 1,decided to go ahead with the project after taking approval from the state cabinet.

Apart from Delhi,Rajasthan,Haryana and Uttar Pradesh,the Union Ministry of Urban Development,the NCR Planning Board and the Union Ministry of Railways are other share-holders in the corporation,which will manage projects for establishing dedicated high-speed railway lines,bringing about uniformity in road networks in the region and formulate a comprehensive traffic flow plan for the areas covered under the region.

The districts to be covered in UP are Gautam Budh Nagar,which includes NOIDA and Greater NOIDA,Meerut,Ghaziabad and Bulandshahr.

“The equity contribution will be 22.5 per cent each by the Union Ministry of Urban Development and the Union Ministry of Railways,5 per cent by the NCR Planning Board,while Delhi,Haryana,Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh will contribute 12.5 per cent each,” said an official.

“During the discussion,it came out that about two months ago Haryana had given an in-principal approval,so it was felt that for the sake of development of the region,UP should also give its consent.”

It is,however,not yet clear what else UP will have to contribute,besides 12.5 per cent equity and what it can expect. Also,it is not clear what will be the future of the projects that the state government has planned in the region and what kind of representation it will get in the management of the corporation.