The Centre and the Delhi Government appear to be heading towards reconciliation over issues related to the Delhi Metro. The Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry on Wednesday accepted Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s demand for rationalisation and restructuring of the Delhi Metro and agreed to constitute a high-level expert group to review the transporter’s functioning and management.
Kejriwal had suggested to the Uraban Affairs Ministry that ‘an independent expert group’ should be set up to review all the issues relating to the functioning of the DMRC.
In his reply to Delhi CM’s two letters dated October 12 and 16, Puri agreed to his suggestion of a review by an expert group acceptable to both the Governments and invited Kejriwal for talks at his convenience on the terms of reference of the study and related matters even as he lauded the Delhi Metro and termed it as one of the best-run corporate entities.
“…this Ministry is open to your suggestion and we can take it forward together in the best interests of the Delhi Metro. This, in turn, should benefit the people of the national Capital as well. I would be happy to have a detailed discussion on the terms of reference of the proposed study and related matters, whenever convenience”, Puri wrote to Kejriwal.
The Union Minister also clarified that the letter written by the OSD (Urban Transport) to the Chief Secretary of Delhi on October 12, only stated that metro fare hike cannot be enquired into by either the Delhi Government or the Central Government as per the provisions of the Metro Act and no unilateral enquiry could be initiated into other matters of the DMRC, since both the Governments are equal equity shareholders.
The second metro fare hike has become a bone of contention between the Centre and the Delhi Government as Kejriwal had asked to defer the recommendations of the fare fixation committee (FFC) for a hike while the Centre said they have no powers to interfere in the matter.
Reacting to Kejriwal’s letters, officials of the Ministry said an impression is being created that the Centre is blocking him from reviewing the functioning of the DMRC by the Delhi Dialogue Commission.
In a letter dated October 16, Kejriwal suggested that the Centre should allow the initiative of the Delhi Government to examine matters relating to the Delhi Metro.
In his earlier letter dated October 12, Kejriwal said, “The organisation, management, control and accountability of the DMRC suffer from serious flaws and the rationalisation and restructuring of DMRC seems an imminent necessity”.
He argued that though the Delhi Government and the Centre were “equal partners” in the Metro, the AAP Government had “virtually no say in its management”. Kejriwal had also suggested that the Delhi Government and the Centre bear the losses equally. Puri had then said the Delhi Government would have to bear all the losses if the metro fare hike is avoided.
Puri in his letter also urged Kejriwal to send the Delhi Metro Phase-IV proposal to the Centre at the earliest as was assured to him by the CM when the two met on September 26 and expressed concern over the delay of two and a half years on the part of the Delhi Government.
He referred to the concerns expressed by the lok Sabha MPs from Delhi in this regard when they met him recently.
Puri also urged Kejriwal to ensure action on the comprehensive report on ‘Decongesting Delhi’ prepared over a year back by this Ministry in consultation with the Delhi Government. He also sought an early decision on the Delhi-Meerut RRTS project which has been lying with the Delhi Government for over a year now.