The Supreme Court of India has once again reprimanded the Delhi government over its failure to fulfill financial commitments to the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project, a crucial infrastructure initiative aimed at reducing vehicular traffic and improving connectivity in the National Capital Region. The court’s stern stance comes amid ongoing concerns about the capital’s toxic air quality.
In a recent hearing, the Supreme Court expressed its dissatisfaction with the Delhi government’s non-compliance with its earlier undertaking to provide funds for the RRTS Project for Alwar and Panipat. The bench, comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia, highlighted the government’s substantial expenditure on advertisements, questioning its priorities. The court observed,
“If Rs 1,100 crore can be used for advertisement in the last three financial years, certainly money can be paid for the infrastructure project.”
The Delhi government had previously cited financial constraints due to the sudden cessation of the Goods and Service Tax (GST) compensation scheme by the Central government in June 2022. However, the court pointed out the government’s significant advertisement spending, totaling Rs 1,100 crore over the past three years.
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In a stern warning, the Supreme Court ordered that if the Delhi government fails to clear its dues for the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System within a week, the funds allocated for advertisements will be transferred to the project. The court stated,
“We are thus constrained to direct that funds allocated for advertisement purposes will be transferred to the project in question.” The court further added, “At the request of the counsel for the Delhi government, we keep this order in abeyance for one week and if the funds are not transferred, the order will come into operation.”
The RRTS project, which includes semi-high-speed rail corridors connecting Delhi to Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Alwar in Rajasthan, and Panipat in Haryana, is seen as a vital step in addressing the region’s transportation and pollution challenges. The 17-kilometer priority section of the Delhi-Ghaziabad Meerut RRTS Corridor was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October. The entire 82.15 km Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS is expected to be fully operational by June 2025.
This development underscores the Supreme Court’s active role in ensuring the timely execution of critical infrastructure projects, particularly those with significant environmental and public health implications. The next hearing for the case is scheduled for November 28.