NOIDA: Keeping the Noida-Greater Noida Metro on track and as promised, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has tested and lifted its first U-girder before Diwali. DMRC officials said that the finalized first via duct of the 29.9km corridor will be put into place by the end of next month. According to DMRC officials, the first girder measuring a 27-meter span in length was casted and lifted on Saturday. "So far ten U-girders have been casted and one U-girder has been lifted, tested and duly stacked at the casting yard at the Greater Noida Depot," a DMRC official told TOI. To facilitate work on the corridor at a faster pace, pre-cast pier caps and pre-cast U - girders of 27 meters in length are being used for the track "These are being cast at both the casting yards, one at Noida sector 149 Metro station in Noida and the other at Depot Station in Greater Noida, simultaneously. We have to cast a total 1000 U - girders," he said. "During an inspection carried out by DMRC managing director Mangu Singh last month on October 18, he had promised Rama Raman, chairperson Noida and Greater Noida Authorities that the girder would be lifted before Diwali, which has been done," he said. "Logistics are being worked out and once we have the girder ready up to a 1km length, we will lift it on the pier. Till now, a total of 15 piling rigs out of 18 have been mobilized and 700 piles—the foundation for the pillars—out of 5000 has been made," the official explained. "The foundation of the first pillar of the track was laid on October 10 at Delta-1 in Greater Noida by chairperson Noida and Greater Noida," he said. Officials further said that the finalized via duct of the Metro track would be in place by the end of December 2015. "This via duct will be visible somewhere in between the stations of Delta-I and Alpha-II in Greater Noida. We will also try to put another via duct in place in Noida," he added. As per officials, work on the track is progressing as per schedule and at a fast pace. The civil work on the Noida-Greater Noida under-construction track will be completed as per target by March 2017. This was said by Dr Mangu Singh, MD, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) after he conducted an inspection of the corridor this week. The track is expected to be ready for trials by July 2017. The Metro, which is estimated to cost Rs 5,526 crore, is expected to roll by December 2017.

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