New Delhi, Jan 03: Recriminations over the ambitious metro rail project refuse to die down with Delhi transport minister Ajay Maken today accusing metro rail corporation chairman and state BJP chief Madan Lal Khurana of "misleading" the public and indulging in "political gimmick" over it. Maken attacked Khurana a day after the latter announced beginning of work on the second phase of the project between Connaught Place and Dwarka in South West Delhi and warned that "politicisation" of the project would hamper work on it.

"Work is already underway on this corridor since last November," he told reporters, alleging Khurana is engaging in "political gimmick" and "misleading the public". The minister charged that Khurana was issuing such statements only to "claim credit for the work done by the city's Congress government" and cited a Delhi cabinet decision of May 6, 2002 to support his assertion.

Maken said work on the project was going on "silently" over the past four years with the Sheila Dikshit government according top priority to it, but BJP had started claiming credit as it neared completion in view of the assembly elections later this year. He even alleged that Khurana was never in favour of the metro and wanted to bring in high speed tram service during his tenure as Delhi chief minister between 1993 and 1998.

The metro rail, intended to be mass rapid and clean mode of transport to meet capital's growing needs, has been mired in controversy over the past several months, particularly after the central BJP-led government passed a legislation in Parliament to take control of the project.

Bureau Report