Metro Phase-IV: SC asks DDA to clarify stand on funding for three priority corridors

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday asked DDA to clarify whether it is agreeable to the EPCA proposal for increasing financial contribution of the DDA in three priority corridors of the fourth phase of the Delhi Metro project. The Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), in its recent report filed in the apex court, has said that the total share of Delhi government in the three corridors is around Rs 7,844.07 crore but the Delhi Cabinet in December 2018 approved only Rs 5,994.50 crore. "Therefore, the difference in financial terms is at most Rs 1,800 crore, which constitutes some 7% of the total project cost of these three key corridors," the EPCA said.

It said DDA has agreed to pay Rs 5,000 crore for the six corridors and "its contribution for the first three corridors could be increased to either partially or completely taking on the difference between the Delhi cabinet approved cost for the three corridors as against the final approved cost".

The 103.94 km long phase-IV of Delhi metro will consist of six corridors - Aerocity to Tughlakabad; Inderlok to Indraprastha; Lajpat Nagar to Saket G Block; Mukundpur to Maujpur; Janakpuri West to R K Ashram and Rithala to Bawana and Narela.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) had on March 9 this year approved the 61.66 km, three priority corridors –Aerocity to Tughlakabad, R K Ashram to Janakpuri (west) and Mukundpur to Maujpur –at a cost of Rs 24,948.65 crore.