GMRL Seeks HSVP Land for Metro Phase 2 Casting Yard.

The Gurugram Metro Rail Limited (GMRL) is facing a significant challenge in its ambitious Phase 2 metro project, as it seeks to acquire a 10-hectare parcel of land in Sector 10 from the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP). The land, crucial for setting up a temporary casting yard, is currently heavily encroached upon and buried under an estimated 1 lakh tonnes of construction and demolition (C&D) waste.

A casting yard is an indispensable component of large-scale infrastructure projects like metro lines. It serves as a dedicated site where critical concrete components such as bridge segments and beams are pre-manufactured before being transported and installed at their final location. GMRL states that this specific casting yard is essential for Phase 2 of the metro corridor and must be operational by October to keep the project on schedule.

The plot in question, originally designated for an auto market, has unfortunately devolved into an unofficial dumping ground over the years. Towering mounds of C&D waste now dominate the landscape, with parts of the land also illegally occupied by encroachers.

"The site is essential for phase 2 of the project, and we need to begin preparatory work by October," a senior GMRL official stated. "There is a huge amount of C&D waste on the site which needs to be cleared."

High-Level Intervention

The urgency of the matter was recently highlighted in a high-level review meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi. During the meeting, key agencies including the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), HSVP, Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), and local police were directed to coordinate efforts. Their mandate is to promptly resolve all land-related bottlenecks to ensure the metro project remains on track.

For Phase 1 of the metro corridor, HSVP had previously allotted 5.23 hectares of land in Sector 33 for the casting yard, with additional land provided by the MCG.

General Consultant Appointed, Project Scope Widened

Meanwhile, GMRL recently announced the shortlisting of the joint venture of Deutsche Bahn Engineering & Consulting (DBEC) and Hill International to serve as the General Consultant (GC) for the project. The GC will play a pivotal role in overseeing critical aspects such as planning, design vetting, construction supervision, and the overall integration of the metro corridor.

The 28.5 km metro corridor, connecting Millennium City Centre to Cyber City with a 1.85 km spur to Dwarka Expressway, was initially approved in June 2023 with an estimated cost of ₹5,452 crore and a four-year completion target. However, the project scope has since expanded. A 1.4 km spur line has been added to connect the Sector 5 station with the Gurugram railway station. This addition has led to a revision of the project cost to ₹10,266 crore, and the new completion deadline has been extended to 2029. The entire line is planned as a fully elevated corridor with 27 stations.