The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)’s extension project from Dilshad Garden to New Bus Stand in Ghaziabad hangs in the balance as funds for this project has not been released. The DMRC project to Ghaziabad, that was cleared by the UP Cabinet, was expected to be completed in mid-2016.
If that was not enough, land is another issue that is stalling this project. “Even the State Trade Tax Department has not responded to the Ghaziabad Development Authority’s (GDA) reminders to deliberate on land issue for Arthala Metro station. The department is sitting over GDA proposal for a year or so,” said a source in GDA.
“The funding pattern was approved by the State Cabinet but the contributing agencies like UPSIDC, Municipal Corporation and Avas Vikas have not made payment. How can the department reverse its original stand without the ignoring attitude of the GovernmentIJ” he said.
At present, the work on the site is just an eyewash. Major expenditure in the project is ahead in the form of purchasing of trains, which almost accounts to 60 per cent of the total project. Project to come up on the stipulated time in December 2016 appears to be a distant dream. This project would be completed by the next Government only,” added the source.
The project is being delayed in want of clearance of the file for transfer of land to DMRC for Arthala Metro station from the Trade Tax Department on the one hand while the fund crunch is also seems quite at hand in the coming future since the GDA has incurred heavy expenses on the construction in and around Koyal Enclave on its own plots. The market recession is also forcing the GDA to constrain the further payments, added the source.
Earlier, the Principal Secretary (Housing), Sadakant, had claimed that the financial crunch was forcing them to review the situation again. At a first stock, the other funding agencies like Municipal Corporation, Housing Board and UPSIDC were not financially sound to contribute their share of Rs1,480 crore for the Metro project.
“It is a setback to the DMRC project to Ghaziabad under one or other pretext. Can head of any department dump files for over six months or can any department refused to comply with the Cabinet decisionIJ The Government is not inclined to get through this project,” said Rajendra Tyagi, Councillor of Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation.