NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday again came heavily on the Delhi government over the delay in providing its share of funds, nearly 500 crores, for the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors to Alwar and Panipat.
RRTS is a semi-high-speed rail corridor linking Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Alwar in Rajasthan, and Haryana's Panipat.
Last week, the apex court had said the Delhi government's advertisement funds would be transferred to the project if the dues were not paid within a week.
During Tuesday's hearing, a bench of Justices SK Kaul and S Dhulia said, "The problem is you have to be arm-twisted to pay the money you are obligated to. We will not say it again and again. Pay what you have to..."
The Delhi government, in the previous hearing, had assured the compliance of the court order.
The court noted that the advertising funds for the last three years were Rs 1,100 crores and Rs 550 crores for this year.
The top court said 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 to this project.
"We would have been inclined to transfer those funds. However, on the last date, Dr. Singhvi (the government's counsel) 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 apex court said in its order.
The Delhi government had earlier expressed its inability to contribute funds for the RRTS project after which the apex court had directed it to place on record funds spent on advertisements in the last three years.
The estimated cost of the 82.15-km stretch is Rs 31,632 crore. The corridor, with 24 stations, will cover the distance from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to Modipuram, Meerut in 60 minutes.
Of the 82.15 km-long corridor, Delhi will have around 13 km with stations at Sarai Kale Khan, New Ashok Nagar, and Anand Vihar.
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had told the Rajya Sabha in February that the Delhi government has not agreed to provide financial support for the Delhi-Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behror and Delhi-Panipat Regional Rapid Transit System corridors.