Miffed by AAP government’s ‘delays’, Centre to take up Metro phase 4 on its own
Miffed with the ‘delay’ in the Metro Phase 4 project and the Delhi-Meerut high-speed urban rail link construction, due to the Delhi government’s pending approval, the Centre has decided to go ahead with the project on its own. While speaking at a press conference on Monday, Union housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that if the AAP-led Delhi government won’t approve a project or will not provide funding for the project, the Centre will find a solution to do things on its own.
Puri’s statement comes after he had urged CM Arvind Kejriwal to send the proposals to the ministry as soon as he could. As per Puri’s allegations, the Delhi government is yet to give its financial approval for the Phase IV funding. Notably, the approvals have been stuck for the last two years. Puri, venting out his disappointment, said that the commuters suffer a shortage of public transport and there is a lot of stress on the presently available system in place.
He said that the Centre will begin work on high-speed rail corridor between Delhi and Ghaziabad and Metro Phase 4 despite constraints, adding that the modalities of the projects are being worked out.
As per media reports Puri had earlier written to CM Arvind Kejriwal highlighting that the delay in the commencement of phase four is not only causing health hazards but has also resulted in Rs 12,000-crore cost escalation in the project. The 104-kilometre metro phase 4 network will connect Mukundpur with Saket (G Block) benefitting south Delhi residents. The project, as per media reports, will be completed in two phases – the first phase of which will include Mukundpur-Maujpur, Tughlakabad-Terminal 1 and Janakpuri (west)- RK Ashram sections while the second phase will connect Rithala -Narela, Inderlok -Indraprastha and Lajpat Nagar-Saket G-Block.
This isn’t the first instance where the Centre has decided has to go ahead after waiting for the Delhi government’s nod. Earlier, the Centre had started work on building a flyover and an underpass to connect IGI Airport with Vasant Kunj after the Delhi government was unable to pay its share for the project.
