NEW DELHI (Metro Rail & Steel): The Supreme Court issued a stringent directive to the Delhi government on Tuesday, demanding the prompt payment of its ₹415 crore share in the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project by November 28. In an assertive reminder, the court mandated that should the government fail to transfer the specified sum by the given deadline, it must be sourced from the AAP government’s advertisement budget for this year.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the Delhi government’s non-compliance with the previous court order from July, the apex court warned of seizing the advertising budget if the outstanding dues for the RRTS project were not cleared within the stipulated time frame. “We will stay your advertising budget. We will attach it and take it here,” the court asserted, highlighting the seriousness of the matter.
Responding to the court’s stringent stance, the AAP government assured it would allocate funds towards the RRTS project in its budgetary provisions. However, the Supreme Court, in a significant move, directed the Delhi government to reallocate funds earmarked for advertisement purposes to the RRTS project, citing its April order where the government had failed to promptly pay the balance amount. Expressing concern over national projects being affected while significant funds were allocated for advertisements, the court emphasized redirecting resources towards essential infrastructure developments. The court’s order remains in abeyance for a week, allowing a window for compliance with its directives.
In an earlier ruling in July, the Delhi government had cited financial constraints arising from the Central government’s termination of the goods and service tax compensation scheme in June 2022, which affected its funding. However, the court highlighted that despite these claims, the government had allocated a considerable ₹1,100 crore over the past three financial years solely for advertisement purposes. The priority section of the RRTS corridor was recently inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, underscoring the urgency for timely payments to ensure the progression of crucial infrastructure
