New Delhi (Agency): The Supreme Court of India has expressed disappointment over the Delhi government’s lack of support for the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project. The court criticized the Delhi government, remarking that it was “throwing its hands up” and not taking responsibility.
The Supreme Court directed the Delhi government to contribute Rs 415 crore (approximately $56 million) to the RRTS project within two months. This order came after the government had claimed it was unable to provide funding for the project, a situation that provoked the court to investigate the government’s spending on advertisements over the past three years.
The RRTS project includes semi-high speed rail corridors that aim to connect Delhi with other nearby cities. The cities include Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Alwar in Rajasthan, and Panipat in Haryana.
Upon reviewing the government’s spending, the Supreme Court discovered that the Delhi government had allocated Rs 1,100 crore (approximately $149 million) on advertisements over the last three years. It was pointed out that the government’s yearly budget for advertising was greater than the amount they had agreed to provide for the RRTS project.
“We put to the senior counsel that if Rs 1,100 crore budget can be spent on advertising in the last three financial years, then certainly contribution can be made to the infrastructure projects,” stated a bench of Justices S K Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia.
In response, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who represents the Delhi government, told the court about the budgetary allocation for advertisements in recent years. He promised the court that the government would contribute towards the RRTS project, but requested that the payments be made in smaller amounts spread over a reasonable period of time.
The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), a joint venture between the central government and the involved states, is responsible for the RRTS project.
The Delhi-Meerut section of the RRTS project is currently under construction, with the Delhi government agreeing to contribute its share of the costs. However, the Delhi government refused to financially support the remaining two sections of the project, citing a lack of funds.
The Supreme Court had previously criticized the Delhi government for not supporting the construction of the RRTS project and asked it to provide information on the money spent on advertisements over the past three years.
The funds requested by the court are required for the RRTS stretch that will connect Delhi with Rajasthan and Haryana.
In the past, the Supreme Court had asked the Delhi government to contribute Rs 500 crore from the Environment Compensation Charge (ECC) towards the RRTS corridor being built between Delhi and Meerut.
The 82.15-kilometer corridor, estimated to cost around Rs 31,632 crore, will have 24 stations and will connect Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to Modipuram, Meerut in 60 minutes. The Delhi region will have around 13 kilometers of this corridor.
