On Friday, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the expansion of the Delhi Metro Rail Project and major education initiatives, marking significant strides toward enhancing infrastructure and accessibility.
The Cabinet greenlit Phase 4 of the Delhi Metro Rail Project, which will include the 26.46 km Rithala-Kundli corridor, aimed at improving connectivity between Delhi and neighboring Haryana. The ₹6,230 crore project, set to be completed over the next four years, will be executed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC), a 50:50 joint venture between the central and Delhi governments.
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The new Rithala-Kundli corridor will extend the existing Shaheed Sthal (New Bus Adda)-Rithala (Red Line) metro, improving access to northwestern Delhi, including areas like Narela, Bawana, and parts of Rohini. The project will feature 21 elevated stations, significantly enhancing the metro network’s reach. Once complete, the corridor will also connect Shaheed Sthal New Bus Adda in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, to Nathupur in Haryana, expanding the metro network’s footprint across the entire National Capital Region (NCR).
This expansion is expected to not only ease road congestion and reduce pollution but also boost the regional economy by improving transportation links.
Education Initiatives: New Schools To Boost Access In Underserved Areas
The Union Cabinet also approved the establishment of 85 new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) and 28 new Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVs) in underserved districts across India. These initiatives aim to enhance educational opportunities for students, especially from rural and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
The government will set up 28 new Navodaya Vidyalayas in states including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, and West Bengal. It has allocated ₹2,359.82 crore for the project, which will span five years (2024-2029), covering both capital and operational expenses. NVs, known for providing quality education to rural students, will help bridge educational gaps, particularly for those from underprivileged communities.
Additionally, the Cabinet approved the creation of 85 new Kendriya Vidyalayas in the civil and defense sectors across India. This expansion aims to accommodate the growing number of central government employees and ensure that their children have access to quality education. The expansion will add two additional sections per class under the Kendriya Vidyalaya Scheme.
The total estimated funding for these initiatives is ₹5,872.08 crore, covering a period of eight years from 2025-2026.
Impact On Youth And Job Creation
Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw spoke to the media, emphasizing that these initiatives would create significant opportunities for the younger population while fostering job creation in the process. “The expansion of the Delhi Metro Rail project will position it among the top three largest metro rail projects in the world,” Vaishnaw said, highlighting the scale of the transformation underway in India’s infrastructure and education sectors.
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