Metro Phase-4 work: AAP government clashes with Centre over inflated project cost

NEW DELHI: The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government on Tuesday accused the Centre of substantially inflating the project cost of Metro’s Phase IV.

The fresh funding dispute between the two sides has put a roadblock in expansion work. In fact, it was after a lot of tussles that the Metro expansion project was approved by the Union Cabinet on March 7.

According to a government statement, the contribution of the Delhi government towards three Priority Corridors (including additional 244 cars) was increased from 20.77 per cent to 31.44 per cent. The Delhi Cabinet had approved the construction of all six corridors of this phase in December last year.

“It is very well known that the issue of approval of Phase-IV of DMRC is going on for quite sometime. If the Government of India was of the opinion that only three Priority Corridors were required to be considered in the first stage, it could have very well communicated to the Delhi government and in that case, the Delhi Cabinet could also have approved only these three Corridors,” the statement added.

The initial deadline for the completion of Phase 4 project was 2022. However, it has now been extended to December 31, 2024.

According to the Delhi government, the component-wise cost was also revised by the Centre “unilaterally” without assigning any reason. The equity component of the Delhi government has been increased from 8.08 per cent to 16.36 per cent, it said.