Ghaziabad: The Public Investment Board (PIB) is expected to give its approval for the Dilshad Garden-New Bus Adda metro corridor in a meeting next week. GDA vice-chairperson Kanchan Verma said after the PIB’s approval, the Union cabinet will give its sanction within a week.This will pave the way for release of the Centre’s share in the project, and is likely to result in commissioning of the project in January, she told TOI.“The PIB is meeting on December 19, and we hope that it will give its clearance for the 9.41-km metro corridor project. We are hopeful that the Union cabinet will give its final approval in a week’s time after that. After the approval, the Centre will release its share of around Rs 329 crore as per the revised completion cost given by the DMRC,” Verma said.Following the release of funds, the DMRC metro safety commissioner will conduct an audit of the project, after which it will be commissioned. “We hope that the project will be commissioned next month,” the vice-chairperson added. Trial runs on the corridor are going on since August and 98% of work on the corridor is complete, according to DMRC.Ticketing counter infrastructure is in place, while escalators and lifts have been installed and work on FOBs is going on. “We have also installed metro gate barriers and signage. Work on emergency exits is relatively slow, but we are trying to expedite it to meet the deadline,” a metro official said.The DMRC had pegged the final completion cost of Dilshad Garden-New Metro Bus stand metro project at Rs 1,805 crore last month. The amount is Rs 405 crore lesser as than that estimated in the original detailed project report, which had pegged the cost at Rs 2,210 crore.

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