Delhi Metro phase 2 expansion hit by cost over-run

Delhi Metro may boast of completing projects on schedule, but its Phase-II expansion that added another 100 km to its network is being undertaken at an additional cost of over Rs 10,000 crore, an over-run of 117 per cent.

The Phase-II project, under which Delhi got connected through the new age transport system with its satellite cities of Noida and Gurgaon, is not yet complete as a small stretch between Sarita Vihar and Badarpur and the Airport Express Line is yet to be opened to the public.

The ambitious Phase-II, when completed will connect 124 km through Metro in the national capital. It was planned to be implemented at a cost of Rs 8,676 crore, but the revised estimates show that it has more than doubled to Rs 18,894.36 crore.

According to a review by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the project is being undertaken at an additional cost of Rs 10,218.36 crore.

“In percentage, the over-run is 117.78 per cent,” the official documents say.

The Phase-II project, sanctioned in 2006, was set to be completed by June 2010, but the DMRC extended the deadline by September 2010, the documents said.

However, the Sarita Vihar-Badarpur section and the Airport Line have not yet been opened to the public due to non-completion of work on the two corridors.

The DMRC’s Phase-I project, covering 65.10 km route, also resulted in cost escalation. Delhi Metro had opened most of its corridor under the Phase-I well before time, but the same cannot be said about the Phase-II. The Noida, Gurgaon and Badarpur corridors got delayed at least by two months.