NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up the AAP government for not providing funds to the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors to Alwar in Rajasthan and Panipat in Haryana, saying that the latter’s advertisement funds would be transferred to the project if the dues were not paid within a week.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia, however, stayed the order for a week, granting time to the government to comply with its earlier promise on payment at the request of its counsel.
The SC said the advertising funds for the last three years were Rs 1,100 crore and Rs 550 crore for this year.
The top court said that budgetary provision was something that the state government should look into but if such national projects were to be affected and money was spent on advertisements, it would be inclined to direct that those funds be transferred for this project.
“We would have been inclined to transfer those funds. However, on the last date, Dr. Singhvi (the government’s counsel) had assured that the funds would be made available. We are thus constrained to direct that the funds allocated for advertising be allocated for this project. At the request of the Delhi government counsel, however, we keep this order in abeyance for one week. If the funds are not transferred the order will come into effect,” the SC said in its order.
On July 24, the top court berated the Delhi government for “throwing its hands up” over contributing its share towards the two RRTS corridors to Alwar and Panipat and directed it to provide Rs 415 crore for the project within two months.
The Arvind-Kejriwal-led AAP government in the city had earlier expressed its inability to contribute funds for the RRTS project after which the apex court directed it to place on record funds spent on advertisements in the last three years.
Delhi to Meerut in 60 minutes
The project entails semi-high speed rail corridors connecting Delhi to Meerut, Alwar & Panipat. The estimated cost of the 82.15-km stretch (Delhi will have 13 km) is Rs 31,632 cr. The corridor, with 24 stations, will cover the distance from Sarai Kale Khan to Modipuram (Meerut) in 60 minutes.