<p>For the millions who live in Ghaziabad, adjoining the national capital, the wait for a Metro ride into New Delhi just got shorter as the enhanced cost of the second phase of the Metro project has been cleared by Uttar Pradesh government. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Sources in the state government on Friday confirmed that the state cabinet has given a green signal to “additional funds”, superseding the earlier allocation for the second phase of the Metro rail project. <br /><br />The fate of the ambitious project, set to decongest the national capital region and <br />facilitate easy commuting, has been hanging precariously for the past few years, owing to change of guard in the state. <br /><br />Official sources said while the state cabinet has approved the upped estimates of the second phase of the Metro rail, which comes to about Rs 1,116.60 crore, an official announcement to that effect would be made later, as the state assembly is in session.<br /> <br />The central government is set to spend Rs 344 crore for this project, and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will spend Rs 256 crore. The UP government was to spend Rs 991 crore earlier; the share was later raised to Rs 1,116.60 crore. <br /><br />Divide the cost<br /><br />A decision was also taken to divide the cost that the state government would bear between four departments — the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA), the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation, the State Industrial Development Corporation, and the Aawas Vikaas Parishad.<br /><br />According to officials, the distribution of the budget for the Metro line into the four departments was a tedious exercise, but “settled now”. <br /><br />“A meeting with regards to the budget allocation was presided over by the chief secretary and the issue was taken care of,” a senior official said. <br /><br />According to the plan approved by the state cabinet, the GDA would be spending Rs 525.10 crore, the municipal corporation Rs 185.90 crore, the UP State Industrial Development Corporation Rs 73.20 crore, and the Aawas Vikaas Parishad Rs 332.40 crore.<br /></p>
<p>For the millions who live in Ghaziabad, adjoining the national capital, the wait for a Metro ride into New Delhi just got shorter as the enhanced cost of the second phase of the Metro project has been cleared by Uttar Pradesh government. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Sources in the state government on Friday confirmed that the state cabinet has given a green signal to “additional funds”, superseding the earlier allocation for the second phase of the Metro rail project. <br /><br />The fate of the ambitious project, set to decongest the national capital region and <br />facilitate easy commuting, has been hanging precariously for the past few years, owing to change of guard in the state. <br /><br />Official sources said while the state cabinet has approved the upped estimates of the second phase of the Metro rail, which comes to about Rs 1,116.60 crore, an official announcement to that effect would be made later, as the state assembly is in session.<br /> <br />The central government is set to spend Rs 344 crore for this project, and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will spend Rs 256 crore. The UP government was to spend Rs 991 crore earlier; the share was later raised to Rs 1,116.60 crore. <br /><br />Divide the cost<br /><br />A decision was also taken to divide the cost that the state government would bear between four departments — the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA), the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation, the State Industrial Development Corporation, and the Aawas Vikaas Parishad.<br /><br />According to officials, the distribution of the budget for the Metro line into the four departments was a tedious exercise, but “settled now”. <br /><br />“A meeting with regards to the budget allocation was presided over by the chief secretary and the issue was taken care of,” a senior official said. <br /><br />According to the plan approved by the state cabinet, the GDA would be spending Rs 525.10 crore, the municipal corporation Rs 185.90 crore, the UP State Industrial Development Corporation Rs 73.20 crore, and the Aawas Vikaas Parishad Rs 332.40 crore.<br /></p>