The Supreme Court on Monday criticised the Delhi government for expressing its inability to contribute funds for construction of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project and directed it to furnish details of funds spent on advertisements in the last three financial years.
The Court questioned why the government did not have funds for a project that would ensure smooth transportation, considering it had allocated funds for advertisements.
"If you have money for advertisements, why don’t you have money for a project that will ensure smooth transport?” the Court asked, according to a report by Bar and Bench.
The funds were meant for construction of the RRTS stretch that will connect the national capital with Rajasthan and Haryana. A bench comprising Justice S K Kaul and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia directed the Kejriwal-led AAP government to file an affidavit with details of the funds within two weeks.
The direction came after the counsel for the Delhi government told the bench that there was paucity of funds and expressed inability to provide monetary assistance.
"You want us to get into what funds you are spending where. All funds for advertisement shall be diverted for this project. You want this kind of order? You are asking for it," the court said.
The Delhi-Meerut RRTS is a semi-high-speed rail corridor that is currently being constructed. The corridor, which is one of the three rapid rail corridors planned under Phase I of the RapidX projectm, will connect the cities of Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut.
"The Delhi government has expressed its inability to contribute funds for common project. Since paucity of funds is an impediment in this project, we call upon the NCT of Delhi to file an affidavit setting forth the funds utilised for advertisement as the project is of national importance. Details may be furnished for last financial years," the bench said.
