Favouring seamless connectivity in the national capital region (NCR), Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Friday advocated uniformity in rates of VAT in the region and removal of all types of physical barriers on inter-state borders.

Speaking at the 26th meeting of the Northern Zonal Council presided over by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram here, Hooda said Haryana has always believed in free movement across the Northern states.

Haryana removed the sales tax barriers way back in 1994. As such there are no entry barriers in the state. The barriers existing in other parts of NCR should also be removed, he said, adding that reciprocal transport agreements for movement of goods and passenger transport vehicles have been signed with the adjoining states.
 
Hooda said that Gurgaon has already been connected with Delhi Metro. The work on Faridabad section has started and it is expected to become operational by August, 2014.

The extension of Delhi Metro from Mundka in Delhi to City Park at Bahadurgarh in Haryana is being taken up by the state government for a total length of 11.182 kms, of which 6.307 kms falls in Delhi territory and the remaining 4.875 kms in Haryana.

While referring to the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) links, he said that the Functional Plan on Urban Transport for NCR prepared by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) has identified eight RRTS corridors, out of which three are being developed on priority basis.

He said that connectivity to Chandigarh International Airport from Chandigarh, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh is being proposed through a circuitous route of approximately 19 kms, which takes off from Chandigarh-Patiala road. Government of Haryana has proposed a direct access measuring only 0.92 km from NH-21.

The Detailed Project Report of High Speed Metro between Gurgaon and IGI Airport (Delhi) has been prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (DMRCL). The government has accorded its in-principle approval to the DPR and the 11.898 km metro corridor is likely to be completed by 2016 at an estimated cost of Rs 1,613 crore.

The government of Haryana is also constructing a 135 km long Western Peripheral Expressway, also known as the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway Project.

Delhi government has raised the issue of benefits of peripheral expressways and the apportionment of expenditure on land acquisition.

He said that as we co-exist we have to share together not only the benefits but also the liabilities of such projects.

Regarding the creation of a Common Economic Zone and relocation of industrial units of Delhi to the NCR outside Delhi, he said that Haryana has developed a land bank and developed state-of-the-art industrial infrastructure over more than 14,000 acres in the vicinity of Delhi.