‘Centre preparing to give special gift to Delhiites, especially to Metro commuters.’
NEW DELHI: With the Election Commission expected to announce the schedule for Lok Sabha elections this month, the Union Cabinet is likely to take decisions on various projects, including expansion of Metro lines in Delhi. The last Cabinet meeting of the Narendra Modi government’s current tenure is scheduled to be held on 6 March.
According to sources, in the last Cabinet meet of the current tenure, Delhi is likely to bag several big infrastructure projects, including green light for expansion of the Delhi Metro lines. Also, before the model code of conduct comes into effect, the Modi government is planning to lay down the foundation stone to start the construction on the new Metro lines that are proposed under phase IV.
A source close to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs told The Sunday Guardian: “The Central government has been preparing to give a special gift to Delhiites, especially to those travelling by Metro. The Modi Cabinet is all set to lay the foundation stone for the construction of Metro lines that are proposed under phase IV of Delhi Metro.”
The phase IV was earlier scheduled to be completed by 2022, but has now been pushed back by two more years. The delay happened when the Delhi government had, in 2016, asked the Delhi finance department to conduct a feasibility study on phase IV.
It was only in October last year that the Delhi government finally agreed to approve phase IV projects in their totality and in its current budget, the Delhi government has allocated Rs 500 crore to initiate construction of phase IV.
As per the expenditure outlay of phase IV Metro projects, the Delhi government will give its share of Rs 9,707 crore out of a total estimated cost of around Rs 46,000 crore.
Under phase VI, the proposed Metro lines include Mukundpur-Maujpur (12.54 km), Rithala-Narela (21.73 km), Tughlakabad-Aerocity (20.20 km), Inderlok-Indraprastha (12.58km), Lajpat Nagar-Saket G Block (7.96km) and Janakpuri (west)-RK Ashram (28.92 km). The phase IV Metro lines will cater to an estimated ridership of 10 lakh people every day.
With an eye on the Lok Sabha polls, the Centre has been taking big decisions to fulfill its promises before the announcement of the general elections. In the previous Cabinet meeting held on 19 February, the Modi Cabinet had approved the Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project Phase II and the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor of RRTS (regional rapid transit system). It also approved the draft proposal of National Policy on Electronics which is aimed at creating lakhs of jobs, apart from other benefits.