New Delhi: The cabinet ministers of central government finally decided to work ahead on Delhi Metro Phase IV project alone as the proposal has been pending with Delhi AAP government from last 2 years. Even after one-on-one meetings, there has been no response.
If the plan is successfully executed, it would be the first time in Delhi metro projects that the central government and Delhi government are equal shareholders. Hardeep Singh Puri, Union minister for housing and urban affairs quoted to media “Yes, we are moving ahead. He(Kejriwal) is leaving with no choice but to go alone. People of Delhi cannot be held to ransom”
“Yes, we are moving ahead. He(Kejriwal) is leaving with no choice but to go alone. People of Delhi cannot be held to ransom”, said Hardeep Singh Puri Union minister for housing and urban affairs while interacting with media.
Sources said the financial implication of the move are being worked out. “The Centre is aware that the move will be a violation of the 50-50 partnership model, but the intention to go ahead alone is mainly due to the sheer scale of the project. It will bring goodwill to the BJP,” sources said.
According to records, the file containing the proposal is estimated Rs 55,000 crore Phase IV project is under Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot. According to an official in the Delhi transport department, under GST (Goods and service tax), the state government will have to pay more money than the Central government.
The official further said that in the future, the entire operational losses of the corridors will have to be tolerated by the Delhi transport department.
If the metro project is taken up by central government(BJP) it can cost a lot to AAP government during the time of elections.
The Delhi finance department surveyed that the government can give it’s approval only to four of the six proposed corridors. The AAP cabinet has still not taken up the observation of the finance department which can cost them a lot after some time.
The report stated that however, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is not in agreement with the observations of the finance department as the 22-km long Tughlakabad Aerocity line is not included in it.
The projects which got approved by the finance department after the observation of finance availability are Janakpuri West to R K Ashram line of 28.92 km, Inderlok to Indraprastha line of 12.58 km, Mukundpur to Maujpur line of 12.54 km and Lajpat Nagar to Saket G Block line of 7.96 km.
“However, Metro has said leaving out the Tughlakabad Aerocity corridor will not be possible as it plans to build maintenance depot and related infrastructure on the corridor. Its exclusion makes the entire project unviable,” a transport department official said.
“However, Metro has said leaving out the Tughlakabad Aerocity corridor will not be possible as it plans to build maintenance depot and related infrastructure on the corridor. Its exclusion makes the entire project unviable,” a transport department official said.
The areas that will be covered by the proposed lines — Burari, Yamuna Vihar, Paschim Vihar, Rohini east, Mukarba Chowk and Andrews Ganj — house a large migrant population, the support of which played a major role in AAP’s rise to power.
