Safety audit begins on Badarpur-Faridabad metro stretch

Four months after trial runs began of the Badarpur-Faridabad stretch of the Delhi metro, the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) have started the mandatory inspection from Monday.

A team led by Safety Commissioner R K Kardam began the three-day inspection of the Metro track between Badarpur and Escorts Ajronda in Faridabad.

The inspection team also comprised Deputy Commissioners, Safety, Sulabh Tyagi and Rajbal Khoiwal, Chief Project Engineer R P Parashar, Chief Engineer I P Singh, DMRC Directors H S Anand, A K Gupta, Sharad Sharma and Jitender Tyagi.

The CMRS would carry out the inspection till August 12. This would take the opening of the line to the next step. While partial energy requirements of the corridor would be met by solar power, different teams of the DMRC are working in full swing on areas like electric wires, communication system, and track safety. 

The 14-km section is an extension of the ITO- Badarpur line (Purple Line) of the network with which the Delhi metro will make its first entry into Faridabad. Once fully operational, it will span from Kashmere Gate to Escorts Mujesar having a length of 43.4 km.

It will have a total of 32 stations, including five inter-change stations — Kashmere Gate, Mandi House, Central Secretariat, Lajpat Nagar and Kalkaji Mandir. The depot for the section, Arjonda Depot, has been constructed near Sector 20 A.

Since the Metro line is parallel to the busy National Highway 2 connecting south Delhi with Faridabad, the DMRC has constructed nine new pedestrian over bridges (FOBs).

All Metro stations have been designed in such a way that there are FOBs that will facilitate the movement of pedestrians not intending to travel by the Metro.

DMRC has installed 37 lifts and 45 escalators at the nine stations. The lifts will be operated by the environment friendly regenerative braking technology.

Apart from the Mujesar terminal station, the upcoming stations are Sarai, NHPC Chowk, Mewla Maharajpur, Sector 28, Badkhal Mor, Old Faridabad, Neelam Chowk Ajronda, and Bata Chowk.

New Chhath Puja ghat in Faridabad

To win the support of migrants from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh working in the industrial township of Faridabad, Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda announced that a pucca Chhath Puja Ghat will be constructed at NIT, Faridabad.

Hooda was addressing a rally in Faridabad on Sunday afternoon. The CM claimed that the state government has sanctioned Rs 2,082 crore to connect YMCA and Ballabgarh with Metro rail, which will not only improve connectivity between Delhi and Faridabad, but also give a push to the industrial and commercial development in the city.

The chief minister also announced to set up a new 50-bed hospital in sector 55-56.

The government is also carrying out a survey for regularization of unauthorized colonies in the city. According to the 2001 Census, at least one-fourth of Faridabad's population lives in slums. The state government has already prepared a plan to arrest the growth of these clusters in the city.

Hooda also claimed that with a view to restore the lost glory of this famous industrial town, a number of steps have already been taken by the state government. He said that an Industrial Model Town (IMT) is being set up at Faridabad and various development schemes costing Rs 850 crore have been sanctioned for the district. Lashing out at the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) government for neglecting the city, Hooda alleged that his government has spent three times more to the tune of Rs 1513.76 crore on development of Faridabad as compared to Rs 501.34 crore by the previous government.

Hooda also alleged that the main opposition party at the Centre, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), did not let the winter session of the Lok Sabha run.

He claimed that the Congress-led UPA had planned to adopt and pass several bills in the interest of the poor and farmers.

Badarpur jams may ease soon

Commuters getting stuck in jams at the Badarpur border crossing can expect a smooth ride from September-end. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials said the elevated stretch will be opened to traffic heading from Ashram to Faridabad on September 15. Subsequently, traffic heading from Faridabad to Delhi will be allowed on the second carriageway from September 25.

Sources said traffic diversions are in place to complete the remaining work on the road under the flyover. Hindustan Construction Company (HCC), developer of this 4-km elevated corridor, has set October 1 as the deadline for making the entire project operational. "But initially, traffic heading towards Faridabad will be allowed on the right carriageway. From September 25 it will be shifted to the left carriageway,'' said a senior NHAI official.

He added that the traffic diversion plan will be put in place well ahead if this gets implemented to help guide commuters. "Traffic from Delhi to Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, Jaitpur Road, Sarai bypass, Sector 37 will move on the left side on the ground road while traffic from Haryana to MB Road or Ashram will move on the right side on the ground road,'' the official said. From September 25, however, commuters heading from Ashram to MB Road, Sarai bypass, Sector 37 and beyond will be diverted to the left elevated carriageway and those heading from Haryana towards MB Road and Delhi will be diverted to the right elevated carriageway.

NHAI officials said though the official deadline of the project was December, the construction company has been able to complete work in record time. "Since major works are likely to be completed by October 1, there are chances of allowing the contractor to collect toll tax from that date. But we have not yet given the go-ahead,'' said a senior NHAI official.

The toll tax per trip per vehicle has already been fixed. Cars and jeeps will have to shell out Rs 20, light commercial vehicles need to pay Rs 30 and for buses and trucks one trip will cost Rs 60.

67 Faridabad unauthorised colonies to be regularised

The Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF) on Tuesday passed a resolution for regularisation of 67 unauthorised colonies in Faridabad. The 35-member House met this afternoon and besides many other issues deliberated on the issue of unauthorised colonies. Amid the din, the resolution for regularisation of the 67 unauthorised colonies was passed with almost all the corporators describing it as "a landmark step for overall development of Faridabad". This was the second time such a resolution was passed.

Last year, a resolution for regularisation of 77 unauthorised colonies was passed and sent to the state government for approval. But, officials said, the proposal was returned with some objections, forcing the civic agency to make fresh survey.

The proposal for regularisation of 67 unauthorized colonies will now be forwarded to the state government through Gurgaon divisional commissioner for final approval.

"Some unauthorised colonies form part of my ward, which I represent. The clearing of a regularisation proposal will certainly make life in these colonies worth living," said Rajinder Bamla, Corporator of Ward number four.

Hooda plans Metro rail between Faridabad and Gurgaon

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has said he had a plan to connect Faridabad and Gurgaon with Metro rail to facilitate the people of the area.

Mr Hooda, who was addressing a public meeting at Faridabad yesterday, said the state government has already paved the way to connect Delhi with Faridabad upto YMCA through metro rail and it would be extended upto Ballabhgarh.

He said the state government was committed for allround development of Faridabad and after five years, Faridabad would be a leading industrial city of the country.

He said NIT Faridabad was set up by first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru and the state saw a lot of progress during the Congress regimes.

About Faridabad

Faridabad is a major industrial city and population center in Haryana state, northern India. It is located in Faridabad District. the city was founded in 1607 by Shaikh Farid, treasurer of Jahangir, with the object of protecting the highway which passed through the town. Shaikh Farid built a fort, a tank and a mosque which are in ruins. Later, it becomes the headquarters of a pargana which was held in jagir by the Ballabgarh ruler. Faridabad became 12th district of Haryana State on 15th August, 1979.

Overview:
Faridabad is about 25 Kilometres south of Delhi at 28deg 25' 16" North Latitude and 77deg 18' 28" East Longitude. It is bounded by the National Capital Territory of Delhi on its north, Gurgaon District on the west, and of Uttar Pradesh State on its east and south. Delhi-Mathura National Highway No.2 (Shershah Suri Marg) passes through the centre of the district. It has an Indian Railway station on the Delhi-Mathura double track broad-gauge line of the Central Railway.

Faridabad is famous for Henna Production on agriculture sector while tractors, motorcycles, switch gears, refrigerators, shoes and tyres are other famous industrial products of the city.

Badkhal Lake tourist complex, Suraj Kund Tourist Complex, Aravalli Golf Club, Raja Nahar Singh Palace and Dabchick are the famous tourist spots.

For the ease of civil administration, Faridabad District is divided into five sub divisions, Faridabad, Ballabgarh, Palwal, Hodal and Hathin. Each subdivision is headed by a sub-divisional officer. Recently Faridabad has been suffering due to the departure of many manufacturing companies. Faridabad has seen Gurgaon and Noida speed ahead in development with lot of multinational companies setting up there.

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