GHAZIABAD: District magistrate Ritu Maheshwari directed DMRC officials on Thursday to complete all external work on the Dilshad Garden-New Bus Stand metro corridor by January 20. These include repair of roads and central verges, painting of metro pillars and all finishing work of stations.

The 9.4km metro corridor is expected to be commissioned over the next two months. The Public Investment Board (PIB) cleared the project last December and it now awaits clearance from the Union cabinet before it can be commissioned. The clearance will pave the way for the Centre’s share of over Rs 320 crore.

The instructions to DMRC were issued during a review meeting of the project with metro officials in Ghaziabad. “The DMRC has taken over main roads along the alignment of the metro project for construction of stations and the elevated corridor. They will have to repair the roads and undertake necessary maintenance work before handing it over to in accordance with the terms and conditions. Many stretches of roads along the corridor have been lying in a shambles because of the construction work,” Maheshwari said.

Officials said no formal date for commissioning of the metro corridor has been announced so far. The corridor has eight stations from Dilshad Garden to New Bus Stand.

“Repair work is pending on central medians of the main road. Grilles on medians have been broken at places and have not been repaired despite several reminders to DMRC. Theme paintings on all pillars of the corridor are not complete as well. There are some works pending that need to be undertaken on the metro stations,” she added.

