The Delhi government’s decision to junk two proposed lines of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) would deprive millions of rural Delhi residents the opportunity to partake in seamless connectivity, the Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta alleged on Tuesday.
‘4 years wait’
The decision to junk two proposed Metro corridors, Rithala-Narela (21.73 km) and Tughlakabad-Aerocity Terminal I (22 km), under Phase IV, came after “four long years of wait” and was “shocking” as it was based on the apprehension of financial losses to the government, he alleged.
“It is unfortunate that the government of the ‘aam admi’ is giving priority to financial losses over deprived people. It is undesirable to consider revenue loss when it comes to mass public transport systems like the Delhi Metro. If financial loss deters the government, can it dare to wind up the Delhi Transport Corporation [DTC] too?” Mr. Gupta said.
Arguing that the government’s decision would deprive neglected rural areas of economic growth and social connectivity, the Rohini legislator said both these routes would have provided much needed mass transport to rural areas and the belts inhabited by the deprived and underprivileged sections of society.
He added that the proposed Narela-Bawana route would have served the long rural belt comprising Bawana, Narela, Anaj Mandi, Bawana JJ Colony, Bawana Industrial Area, Barwala village, Phoot Kurd village, Sampat village and outer Rohini Sectors of 26, 31, 32, 36 and 37.
Similarly, the Tughlakabad-Aerocity Terminal 1 could have helped connect the DMRC’s network to areas such as Mahipalpur, Masoodpur, Kisan Grah, Lado Sarai and adjoining villages, Tuglakabad, Khanpur, Tikri, and Ambedkar Nagar.
“These areas are already denied public transport services. The DTC has very poor services in these areas,” he said.
