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| Metro rail services in all million-plus cities |
| Press Trust of India / New Delhi Aug 07, 2009, 17:11 IST |
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Parliament today passed a Bill providing for extension of metro rail services beyond Delhi with the Centre saying it was ready to introduce such mode of modern transport in all the million plus cities.
The Metro Railways (Amendment) Bill, passed by Rajya Sabha a day after it was approved by Lok Sabha, would provide legal sanction to extend the operation of the Delhi Metro Rail service to neighbouring NOIDA, where services are expected to begin later this month.
Moving the bill in the Upper House, Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy said extension of metro rail across the National Capital Region was an urgent matter to revolutionise transport system in view of the Commonwealth Games to be held here in October next year.
Responding to the queries of the members on fare, Reddy said it will not be allowed to increase even as Metro projects are capital intensive.
The Bill was passed after a brief discussion as members cutting across party lines supported it with a number of them seeking such transport system for their own areas.
Reddy said the Bill facilitates extension of metro rail transport to all cities with population over 10 lakh if the state government recommends it.
Construction work has begun in Bangalore and Chennai, but in cities like Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Kochi and Mumbai, it was under various stages.
He said the Centre was ready to organise 50 per cent equity to set up metro rail in any city provided the state government arranges for the remaining funds.
Initiating a discussion, S S Ahluwalia (BJP) praised the functioning of the DMRC and its chief Sreedharan but asked about provisions of law and order in the Bill after the metro services are extended to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
He said there could be threats and terrorists acts and wanted the government to see it from a wider perspective of law and order.
To this Reddy said the security is being looked after by the CISF and if meaningful cooperation is not there from the states, the extension will not succeed. "At the end of the day, we are one nation, one union," Reddy remarked.
On accidents at Metro sites as pointed out by some members, Reddy said all accidents took place during the construction phase and underlined the need to distinguish between accidents during construction phase and operation phase.
He said 130 accidents have taken place in which 102 people have died which was "unfortunate".
Pointing to global benchmarks and indices, Reddy said, "in terms of recognised global standards, we are way above Singapore and marginally behind London".
The minister said the Commonwealth Games, 2010, was only a peg on which big civic projects have been targetted.
"Heavens will not fall if this is not done...We will not sacrifice safety due to the games," he said.
Referring to the commercial aspects of the Metro, he said Japan has been "very generous" with loan at 5.1 per cent interest in the project in which the equity is 50:50 between the Centre and the States.
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