HARYANA NEWS- NCR Planning Board approves inclusion of Mahendragarh and Bhiwani districts in NCR area

New Delhi/Jalandhar, July 1, 2013:  NCR Planning Board has approved the inclusion of Mahendragarh and Bhiwani districts of Haryana in the NCR area and the proposal for inclusion of Jind and Karnal districts in NCR has also been agreed to.

This was stated by the Union Urban Development Minister, Kamal Nath at the 33rd meeting of NCR Planning Board held in New Delhi today.  Kamal Nath stated that the Board has also approved inclusion of Bharatpur district (Rajasthan) in NCR.  

The meeting was attended by Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Lt. Governor of Delhi  Tejender Khanna, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit, Union Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister  Girija Vyas,  Urban Development Ministers from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, Secretaries of concerned Union Ministries, Chief Secretary of Haryana,  P.K. Chaudhery and Principal Secretary to Haryana CM, Chhatar Singh, besides other senior officers of Centre and States.

The work of Haryana in completing the three road projects funded by Asian Development Bank was appreciated at the meeting. It was informed that the Bank has now approved 6 more road projects for Haryana.              

During the meeting,  Kamal Nath said that for economic development of NCR, there was need for a Regional Rapid Transit System. Implementation of the projects will not only help in reduction of travel time within NCR, but will also in reduction of number of vehicles on roads and in pollution levels, ultimately improving the quality of life in NCR, he said. The NCR Transport Corporation to be formed, will implement RRTS projects of Delhi-Panipat (111 km), Delhi-Alwar (180 km), Delhi-Meerut (90 km).  Kamal Nath said that the work on these three corridors will start soon and will be completed by 2016. NCR Planning Board will contribute Rs. 200 crore to be begin.

During the meeting, Hooda said that Haryana Sub Region has fulfilled the objectives of the creation of NCR by effectively checking migration to Delhi as also by attracting reverse migration. City of Gurgaon has grown @ 293 per cent in the last decade, registering the highest growth rate in the region. As such there is need to improve the basic infrastructure and inclusion of Gurgaon in JNNURM, he said. Hooda also said that Haryana is about to finalize its Sub-Regional Plan, which will be sent to NCR Planning Board in a month’s time. Development plans for 2031 are also being revised and this should also be incorporated in the Regional Plan.  

Hooda said that for smooth traffic movement between Delhi and Haryana NCR towns, additional road links are required. In this connection, he mentioned Delhi-Gurgaon, Delhi-Sonipat and Badli to IGI Airport links. He requested that the Planning Board should provide financial assistance in the form of grant-in-aid for major projects like metro connectivity and affordable housing.

Later, talking to media persons Hooda said that a new Corporation is being formed for implementation of RRTS schemes of Delhi-Panipat, Delhi-Alwar and Delhi-Meerut. The share of all the four States – Delhi, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan in the equity of Corporation will be 12.5 per cent each. This Corporation will decide about the funding for States.

While thanking Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath, Hooda said that the inclusion of Mahendragarh, Bhiwani and also Jind and Karnal districts of Haryana in the NCR will be helpful in faster development of these districts.