Centre wants to share profits but shifted burden of loss on Del govt: Kejriwal on Metro Ph IV

Facing allegation of "stonewalling" progress of Phase IV of Delhi Metro, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday lashed out at the Centre, saying if it was fair for it to share profits but shift the entire burden of losses on his government.

Sources in Union government had on Monday claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party Government has "stonewalled" progress of Delhi Metro's Phase-IV project by imposing two conditions, leading to "substantial delay" and "inconvenience" to people.

One condition is that the operating losses of the project should be borne equally by the Delhi government and the Centre. The other is that Delhi government will have no liabilities in external loans sought for the project.

"I am surprised at this news. Centre n Del govt hold 50:50 equity in Del Metro. Now, centre says that profits will be shared 50:50 but all losses will be borne 100% by Del govt. Is this fair on people of Del? Del govt is only saying that losses shud also be borne 50:50(sic)," Kejriwal said in a tweet.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had told reporters after approval to the project that the city government will give its share of Rs 9,707 crore towards the construction work under the project, which is estimated to cost around Rs 45,000 crore.

Among the projects chosen under the Phase-IV are Rithala-Narela (21.73 km), Janakpuri West-R K Ashram (28.92 km), Mukundpur-Maujpur (12.54 km), Inderlok-Indraprastha (12.58 km), Tughlakabad-Aerocity (20.20 km), and Lajpat Nagar-Saket G-Block (7.96 km).

A Delhi government official had earlier said "in the past one year, the ridership has gone down due to various reasons. So, if Delhi has to pay 100 per cent of the operational loss, it will not be financially viable for it".

Also, there are certain corridors that may not be profitable in the future or even do not reach the break-even level, the official had said.

The Housing and Urban Affairs ministry sources had said the two conditions imposed by the Delhi government are "contrary" to condition of sanction of the Phase-IV of the Delhi Metro wherein operational losses are to be borne by the Delhi government.