New Delhi: Facing severe financial crunch
due to huge spending on the Commonwealth Games projects, Delhi
Government on Tuesday said it will not be able to allocate required
funds for the third phase of the Metro network.
Finance Minister A K Walia said instead of the city
Government, the cash-rich Delhi Development Authority should
contribute financial resources for expansion of third phase of
Metro network.
"We have written to the DDA for funding the third phase
of the Metro network. They are earning a lot of money by
selling and developing land in the city. They should share
their financial resources for expansion of Metro," Walia told
reporters.
The DMRC plans to start the construction work on
Phase-III by the end of 2010. In Phase-III, the DMRC envisages
connecting Jahangirpur with Sarai Kale Khan ISBT, Dilshad
Garden with Ghaziabad ISBT, Airport link-Sushant Lok
(Gurgaon), Mundka-Delhi border-Bahadurgarh, Badarpur-YMCA
chowk and Gurgaon.
Walia said Delhi`s contribution for the third phase of
the Metro expansion has been estimated at Rs 558 crore in
the year 2010-11 and Rs 2119.50 crore in 2011-12.
The Union Urban Development Ministry had told Delhi that
the Centre will contribute half of the total project cost
while Delhi government will have to cough up the other half.
The Minister said Delhi government would pay its
outstanding share of Rs 1,417 crore for the completion of the
second phase of the network.
Last year, Delhi government had sanctioned Rs three crore
for the preparation of detailed project report (DPR) of the
third phase of the Metro network.
Delhi Government is going through financial difficulties
especially after the Centre substantially curtailed allocation
to it in the Union Budget.
PTI
