Delhi releases payment for construction of RRTS corridors

The Delhi government has finally released Rs 150 crore as first instalment of its contribution in the construction of two proposed corridors of the rapid rail transit system. While Rs 100 crore is for Delhi-Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behror line, the remaining amount will be spent on the Delhi-Panipat corridor. Officials said the Supreme Court had earlier rapped the Delhi government following which the transport department sought a provision of Rs 495 crore in the revised budget estimates to pay for RRTS. With no demand from the department this year, the finance department of the Delhi government had not made any allocation in the budget estimates for 2023-24 for the Delhi-Meerut corridor, which is under construction, and the proposed lines of Delhi-Panipat and Delhi-SNB. The government had paid Rs 500 crore in May and Rs 495 crore earlier this month from the environment compensation charge, which is collected from goods vehicles entering the capital, for the Delhi-Meerut section. As per the details submitted by National Capital Region Transport Corporation, the Delhi government?s share for the two proposed corridors stands at Rs 5,704 crore, which will have to be paid in six years in pre-decided annual instalments till 2028-29.