New Delhi: The Delhi government has disbursed Rs 150 crore as the initial instalment towards its contribution for the construction of two proposed corridors of the Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS).
Out of this allocation, Rs 100 crore is earmarked for the Delhi-Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behror line, while the remaining amount is designated for the Delhi-Panipat corridor.
This development follows the Supreme Court’s rebuke of the Delhi government, prompting the transport department to seek a provision of Rs 495 crore in the revised budget estimates to fund the RRTS. Notably, the budget estimates for 2023-24 initially lacked any allocation for the Delhi-Meerut corridor, currently under construction, and the proposed lines of Delhi-Panipat and Delhi-SNB.
Earlier this year, the government had utilised Rs 500 crore in May and an additional Rs 495 crore this month from the environment compensation charge, collected from goods vehicles entering the capital, for the Delhi-Meerut section. According to the National Capital Region Transport Corporation, the Delhi government’s share for the two proposed corridors is Rs 5,704 crore, payable in six annual instalments until 2028-29.
In subsequent fiscal years, Delhi is slated to pay Rs 800 crore for the Delhi-SNB and Rs 100 crore for the Delhi-Panipat line in 2024-25. The cumulative amount already disbursed includes Rs 1,260 crore, incorporating Rs 80 crore as additional GST due to a revision in tax rates from 12 to 18 per cent, for the under-construction Delhi-Meerut corridor.
Looking ahead, Delhi is obligated to contribute Rs 1,050 crore in 2025-26, Rs 1,300 crore in 2026-27, Rs 1,304 crore in 2027-28, and Rs 1,000 crore in the 2028-29 financial years. The overall cost of the three rapid rail corridors is estimated to exceed Rs 91,000 crore, with contributions from the Centre and the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
An official stated, “Having acknowledged the annual financial commitment for RRTS lines, we will incorporate the requisite allocation in the budget starting from the fiscal year 2024-25.”
This move signifies the government’s aim to advancing crucial transportation infrastructure projects in the region.