GDA plans three Neo Metro corridors in Ghaziabad

The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) is preparing a plan to run Neo metro on three routes in the metropolis: the first route from Vaishali to Mohan Nagar, the second route from Noida Sector 62 to Rapid Station Sahibabad and the third one from Hindon River Bank Metro Station to Raj Nagar Extension. The preliminary investigation by MMRC found the three routes to be suitable for Neo Metro operation. In such an event, the GDA will be brainstorming on taking the project forward, once the preliminary report of the inspection is submitted by MMRC to the GDA.

Neo metro Metro projects are capital intensive in nature as due to the high capital expenditure nature of the metro rail and MetroLite, MetroNeo has come up as an alternative to conventional metro rail. MetroNeo is a rubber-tyred electric coach powered by an overhead traction system running on a road slab with an exclusive right of way, standard specification of which has been issued in November 2020. It provides a similar experience and ease of travel in terms of comfort, convenience, safety, punctuality, reliability and environment-friendliness as that of a conventional metro system. This is suitable for tier-two cities and can be developed at a cost of about 25 percent of conventional metro systems. Low capital cost of MetroNeo is attributed to much lighter civil structure due to lesser axle load (10 ton), absence of track and signalling, open and simple station structure, and requirement of low power rated electrical equipment among other factors.