Paid Rs415 crore for RRTS section: Delhi govt

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sharply criticised the Delhi government for not clearing its overdue payment of ₹415 crore for the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)

The Delhi government on Friday said it has transferred ₹415 crore for the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project, four days ahead of the Supreme Court-mandated deadline of November 28.

Trains of the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) at Ghaziabad. (PTI)

“Today, on November 24, payment of ₹415 crore has been made to NCRTC by the transport department,” a statement from Delhi transport minister Ashok Gahlot’s office said.

Later, Delhi transport commissioner Ashish Kundra also confirmed that the funds have been released. “We released the entire amount on Friday as per the Court’s orders”, said transport secretary cum commissioner, said Kundra.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sharply criticised the Delhi government for not clearing its overdue payment of ₹415 crore for the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) despite the top court’s order in July this year and ordered the money to be deducted from the state’s advertising budget, a direction that will take effect if the government fails to make the payment within a week.

“We are left with no option but to direct that the funds allocated under the advertising budget by the state for this year be transferred to the project.” a bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia said on an application by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) that the Delhi government’s hadn’t paid up four months after the top court’s order on July 24 that set a final two-month deadline.

Earlier this week, a statement from the Delhi government read that the Kejriwal government supports the RRTS project and welcomes the SC order regarding the same.

The priority Delhi-Meerut section of RRTS was inaugurated on October 20 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is currently running on a 17-kilometre stretch from Sahibabad to Duhai in Ghaziabad. The operational priority section of the Namo Bharat Rapidx trains have five stations at Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai and Duhai Depot. The entire 82-km corridor from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to Meerut is targeted to be operational by June 2025 with four stations in Delhi.