The Hindu : BJP unveils action plan to solve transport problem

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 27, 2003

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BJP unveils action plan to solve transport problem

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI APRIL 26. In another attempt to project a development-oriented face to the electorate, the Delhi BJP today unveiled a five-year action plan to resolve the Capital's transportation problems. This includes laying of a dedicated rail track along the railway network in Delhi, advancing part of the Mass Rapid Transit System Phase-II project, introduction of a "sky train'', dedicated bus-ways and a high-capacity bus system.

``I will talk to the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, to set up a Group of Ministers (GoM) under the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, to implement this action plan which will cost around Rs. 9,854 crores. This will go a long way in solving the transportation problems faced by the people of Delhi and help in decongesting the Capital,'' the Delhi BJP president, Madan Lal Khurana, who is also the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Chairman, told reporters here.

The report prepared by a Committee headed by the senior BJP leader, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, had the former Chief Secretary, Omesh Saigal, as Member-Secretary. Other members of the committee included Jagdish Mukhi, Nand Kishore Garg, Anti Arya, Lal Behari Tiwari and Mewa Ram Arya.

However, none of the BJP leaders was clear on how the whole plan could be implemented without even consulting the Delhi Government or taking it into confidence. Some of the proposals, including high-capacity buses, busways and inter-city train connectivity, have already been announced by the Delhi Government. No doubt detailed work has been carried out by the committee, but lack of any professional backing and authenticity could mar the implementation of the whole programme. "This programme will only take off if the BJP comes to power in Delhi. It will also require extensive financial back up which puts a question mark over the whole plan,'' a senior BJP leader added.

Giving details about the scheme, Mr. Khurana and Mr. Saigal explained that it is proposed to lay 130 km of dedicated tracks along the identified routes and add four new surface links of 62 km in certain areas by 2008. Except for the Dwarka-Narela line, this proposal forms part of the Integrated Rail-cum-Bus Transit System proposal floated for the NCR and already announced by the Delhi Government. Similarly, in order to provide full connectivity to these corridors with the MRTS Phase-I, it is proposed that a small part of the Phase II proposal of the DMRC system, currently planned to be implemented by the year 2011, consisting of extension of Dwarka-Barakhamba to Tilak Bridge, extension of Delhi University-Central Secretariat to AIIMS and AIIMS-IIT elevated lines may be advanced and constructed as part of the above mentioned scheme.

On the other hand, Mr. Khurana said it is proposed to use an innovative system of sky train, which is much cheaper at Rs. 45 to Rs. 55 crores per km as against Rs. 100 crores per km for elevated MRTS, along the three corridors -- Outer Ring Road (22 km), Delhi University to Azadpur (5 km) and Mayur Vihar extension to Azadpur (25 km). The cost of the three sky train corridors would be around Rs.3.025 crores. A dedicated busway along Badarpur-Mehrauli-Vasant Kunj corridor is proposed which will also include spurs to IIT along Aurbindo Marg from Mehrauli to IIT and Vasant Kunj to Munirka. This 20 km corridor is expected to cost Rs. 360 crores.

Besides this, Mr. Saigal said it is also proposed that cycle tracks, intermediate public transport and buses will continue to play an important role even in future as the feeder service to main mass transport system. He said the project would entail involvement of Delhi Government, the Urban Development Ministry, DDA, Konkan Railways, NCR Planning Board, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana Governments.

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