‘AAP govt. stalling Metro projects’

Two important infrastructural projects including phase IV of the Delhi Metro, Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha Vijender Gupta alleged on Saturday, were pending for several years and the issue would be raised in the Assembly on Monday.

Mr. Gupta alleged that the Arvind Kejriwal government was sitting on the files relating to acceptance of financial commitment for Delhi Metro phase IV since October 2014, files relating to purchase of additional coaches for Delhi Metro since June 2016 and a file related to the Delhi-Meerut Rapid Rail Transit System since December 2016.

“The Kejriwal government wants to derail pace of development by hatching conspiracy to stall Metro projects. I will raise the issue in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha on Monday,” Mr. Gupta said.

Purchase of coaches

According to the LOP, the Kejriwal government was not only sitting on files relating to acceptance of financial commitment for fourth phase of Delhi Metro, but was also “deliberately delaying” the decision to purchase additional coaches for Delhi Metro.

The Delhi Metro had, he said, at the instance of the Delhi government, submitted a Detailed Project Report in June 2016 to buy 916 more coaches but the latter did not respond. The proposal was subsequently revised to purchase of 582 coaches in January 2017.

“This proposal too is still pending with the Delhi government. Chief Minister Kejriwal had committed on March 14, 2018 during the inauguration of Pink Line of the Delhi Metro that necessary approval for this will be granted by March 14, 2018. But there is no change in position and the decision still remains pending,” he alleged.

RRTS proposal

The Rohini MLA added that the fate of the proposal related to the Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) between Delhi and Meerut was similar. This proposal, he said, was forwarded to the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Delhi on December 9, 2016.

While the Uttar Pradesh government had given its acceptance for the proposal in May 2017, the Delhi government was “yet to react” and had not yet given its approval for this “important project to reduce congestion and pollution in Delhi”.

“It is unfortunate for the people of Delhi that they are the victims of congestion and pollution in Delhi due to negligence of their government. The effect of rising cost of these Metro projects due to delay in decision making by the Delhi government will also have to be borne by them,” he alleged.