The Delhi government was chastised by the Supreme Court on Tuesday for not meeting its obligation to provide funding for the Regional Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) Project. The government has been given a week’s notice by the court to assign the project share by November 28.
This strict order follows a two-month extension given by the court in July to the Delhi government to pay outstanding debts associated with the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s Rs 550 crore marketing budget for the current year would be used to pay the allocation if it is not made within the allotted period, the court warned.
“If the Delhi government can spend Rs 1,100 crore on advertisements in three years, why can’t it contribute to infrastructure projects?” the Supreme Court said while emphasising the need of the Delhi government’s involvement in infrastructure projects.
Within the allotted week, the Delhi government was particularly asked by the court to pay the remaining Rs 415 crore towards the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System. November 28 is the date of the case’s subsequent hearing.
Describe RRTS.
An initiative called the Regional Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) aims to link Delhi and Meerut with quicker trains. Prime Minister Narendra Modi just inaugurated a 17-kilometer section of it on October 20. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is in charge of the project, which entails building an 82.15 km corridor between Delhi and Meerut. The RRTS trains include passenger-focused features including baggage carriers and small screens inside the coaches. They are built similarly to other metro trains.
By June 2025, the 82.15-kilometer Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut rail rapid transit system is expected to be fully operational.