The Central Government on Wednesday asked the Delhi Government to review its decision to not start the work of Delhi Metro Phase IV till the Ministry of Housing and Urban Aaffairs (MoHUA) revises its approvall in tune with the AAP dispensation's proposal.

It may be recalled that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ruled Government in April directed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) not to start the work on Phase- IV project till the Ministry revises its approval in tune with the AAP dispensation’s assent.

The secretary of MoHUA, Durgashaker Mishra has written a letter to the Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Dev asking him to review the decision taken by the Government for stopping the work of Phase-IV and lifting of embargo at the earliest in public interest as the Metro Network is necessary to reduce road congestion, accidents and vehicular pollution and for providing highly needed connectivity to the citizens and visitors.

“Delhi Metro Phase-IV has already been delayed by more than four years for want of approval by GNCTD. The directive of GNCTD to DMRC not to start the work of phase-4 will further jeopardises of expansion of Metro network in the Capital and leaves it devoid of its benefits apart from adding to cost and time overruns,” said Mishra in the letter, a copy of which is with The Pioneer. 

The Union cabinet in March approved three of the six corridors: Mukundpur-Maujpur (12.54 km), Janakpuri West-R K Ashram (28.92 km) and Tughlakabad-Aerocity (20.20 km) of the Metro Phase-4 approved by the AAP dispensation, sidelining the conditions imposed by the Delhi government while giving its nod to all six corridors.

 “You are aware that metro rail projects are approved after detailed examination which includes extensive inter-ministerial consultation. Proposals are appraised using due process, which takes time. Proposal for Delhi Metro Phase IV in its final form was received at the end of December, 2018. Considering the urgency and importance of this project, which was pending with the government of India processed the approval for three priority corridors, which were highly populated and facing serious congestion in urban transport before the advent of model code of conduct,” read the letter.

Mishra further said that as per the metro policy 2017, states/UTs are advised to recast their proposals of metro project in line with the provisions in the policy but the Delhi Government went against the norms laid down in Metro Rail Policy.

“The Delhi Government in December conveyed approval on all six corridors of Phase IV subject to the condition that operating losses, if any are to be shared between GOI and GNCTD in 50:50 ratio and the state government will not bear any liability of repayment of JICA loan. These conditions posed by the GNCTD are against the norms and what was agreed to by the Delhi Government in  Delhi Metro phase III project,” he said in the letter.

Appreciating the other cities such as Surat, Kanpur and Indore, he said financing sanction pattern for the other cities are same as that of Delhi Metro phase IV in accordance with the Metro Policy 2017. Thus, there cannot be any special privileged condition for Delhi.

“All metro projects in any part of country are as per the policy or practices evolved over the years and the same conditions were applied in the approving Delhi Metro Phase IV project. Thus, there is no question of accepting the recommendation of GNCTD, as mentioned above, which has not been done for any other metro project,” reads the letter.

The Union Secretary further said that the final cost of the project is arrived at after scrutiny by various stakeholders and appraisal by the public Investment Board (PIB) which may even be less that that proposed by the state government. It is not understood why the GNCTD has taken the stand that there cannot be any change in overall project cost and project cost of three priority corridors from what has been sanctioned by GNCTD.

The AAP government had objected it, alleging that the Union government has made some “unilateral changes” in the project, without communicating any reasons.

The remaining three corridors were not approved and these corridors are under appraisal.

The three corridors that were not approved by the Centre are Rithala-Bawana-Narela, Inderlok-Indraprastha and Lajpat Nagar-Saket G Block.