DMRC to operate Gurugram's private metro for two months
Gurugram: Initially reluctant to operate the Rapid Metro, the management of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will be taking care of the operational part of Gurugram's private metro for two months. In this period the Haryana government will do a full-scale audit of the Rapid Metro and examine the financial losses and irregularities that led to the failure of Gurugram's Rapid Metro.
The pact between the Haryana government and Delhi Metro now would mean that Rapid Metro that is also credited with India's first metro services that were privately operated will survive for now. Its fate however still hangs in balance. Two separate pleas regarding the closure of Gurugram private metro was being heard in Punjab and Haryana high court that resulted in the Haryana government inking the pact with DMRC.
Senior officials from both, the Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) and the DMRC, confirmed this development on Wednesday D Suresh, managing director, HMRTC, and chief administrator, Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), said, "This will allow the DMRC, which is an experienced Metro operator, to run the Rapid Metro for two months while we make arrangements to run it independently. The DMRC will not run the Rapid Metro in the long-term." He added that the DMRC was prepared to take over operations by September 22.
IL&FS also told the court on Tuesday that it would be willing to continue operating the Rapid Metro, provided the Haryana government settled the project's outstanding debt. It, however, stated that the Haryana government would not agree to any payment terms without first conducting a forensic audit of Rapid Metro Gurugram Limited (and Rapid Metro Gurugram South Limited).
The mounting losses for Gurugram's private metro have resulted in the pressure of the Haryana government to take over the Rapid Metro. However, it is not as easy as it seems with a huge debt of over Rs 3,000 crore already there is pressure on the government to take over 80 percent of the loan. If and when the Haryana government takes over the Rapid Metro it would mean they have to pay the Rs 2,560 crore of loans.
To cut the expenses there were also reports that the Harayana government decided to not outsource the operations to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) but rather operate it themselves. The Haryana government have plans to extend metro services to older parts of the city and Faridabad. In both these routes, the Rapid Metro is seen as a focal point where expansion will be commenced.
