New Delhi: As part of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan launched in 2021, a ministerial group on Tuesday reviewed five central government infrastructure projects, including the second phase of the Ayodhya airport, the Delhi-Panipat-Karnal Namo Bharat project, and Line 4 of Pune Metro.
The meeting was convened by E Srinivas, joint secretary at the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry. DPIIT is the nodal department of the mission to enhance multi-modal connectivity and logistics efficiency in economic zones. The projects assessed on Tuesday were from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Telangana and Tripura.
Among the projects reviewed was the second phase of the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya. The second phase is projected to accommodate 4,000 peak-hour passengers and six million passengers annually by 2046-47, up from the existing capacity of 674 passengers during peak hours and an annual capacity of one million, stated a government statement. Other than the new under-construction integrated terminal building, the project will include strengthening and extending the runway, constructing additional parking bays, a multi-level car park, fire station, ATC tower and improved city-side access.
The panel also discussed the progress of the Delhi-Panipat-Karnal Namo Bharat Project (RRTS Corridor), which is likely to reduce the distance between Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi and Karnal in Haryana to 90 minutes from the current 3.5–4 hours. The corridor will connect Delhi with key urban centres in northern NCR and Haryana. It will make it easy to connect to nearby economic centres such as the Rajiv Gandhi Education City and Kundli in Sonipat, Barhi Industrial area and Panipat, an industrial hub, Indian Oil Refinery, and Karnal, which drives significant work, business, and educational travel along the corridor, the government said in a statement.
The RRTS line will connect with the existing and upcoming Delhi metro at Sarai Kale Khan, Indraprastha, Kashmere Gate, Burari Crossing, and Kundli. Similarly, the RRTS will connect with existing interstate bus stations at Sarai Kale Khan, Kashmere Gate, Panipat, and Karnal. At Sarai Kale Khan, the line will also connect with the existing Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway station.
The panel on Wednesday also evaluated the Pune Metro Line 4: Kharadi-Khadakwasla with spur line of Nal Stop-Warje-Manik Baug which is yet to be in implementation stage.
Among the road projects scrutinised were the brownfield four-laning of Gudebellur – Marikal – Hasnapur/Potulamadugu section of NH-167. “Located in Telangana’s Narayanpet and Mahabubnagar districts, the project aims to upgrade and realign the existing NH-167 corridor—including bypasses around major towns—to a four-lane configuration over a design length of 90.37 km. As a key component of the Hyderabad–Panaji Economic Corridor, this initiative will improve inter-state connectivity between Hyderabad and Raichur,” a government release said. The other road project discussed was the widening of the existing NH-08 corridor from Mungiakami to Champaknagar in Tripura with necessary bypasses and realignments to decongest built-up areas. The project is expected to enhance connectivity across West Tripura and Khowai districts, thereby integrating key economic and social nodes and supporting regional inter-state connectivity, the government release added..
An NHAI official, on condition of anonymity, said that these review meetings are to discuss any newfound challenges that may cause any significant delay. “Since the projects are already in the implementation phase, there are hardly any changes that are recommended in these review meetings. The modifications are made at the time of approval itself if and when the Gati Shakti panel feels there is a need for interministerial coordination when large projects are planned in the vicinity of each other.”