Monorail, LRT projects get on fast track

The Transport Department on Monday made a presentation of its ambitious monorail and light rail transit (LRT) project before Delhi finance minister Dr AK Walia. The presentation came ahead of the Expenditure and Finance Committee (EFC) meeting.

"The Transport Department wants to appoint a consultant to prepare a detailed project report on both the monorail and LRT systems. We have agreed in principle for the project. The proposal will be placed before the EFC where formal approval will be given," Finance Minister Walia told Hindustan Times. The detailed project reports of the monorail and LRT are expected to cost Rs 10 crore each, Walia added.

Delhi Transport Commissioner RK Verma and officials of the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS), the agency undertaking the project, gave a detailed presentation on the technical-economic feasibility of the project, which is expected to cost Rs 12,500 crore.

"It is difficult to discuss any project in detail in the EFC meeting. Secondly, DIMTS, which is actually working on the project, can not be a part of EFC meeting. That’s why this meeting was worked out," a senior Delhi government official said.

Both the monorail and LRT will come up on three routes each. While LRT will cover 45 kilometres and will connect Mehrauli with Badarpur, Dwarka and Central Secretariat through three different routes, the monorail will also run on three lines and connect some most congested parts of Delhi, including the walled city and north and east Delhi residential colonies.

Both the monorail and LRT projects are suitable for congested and densely populated areas and its construction cost is much less than that of metro, an official said.

While the monorail project will cost Rs 6,893 crore, the total project cost of LRT is expected to be Rs 5,738 crore, a Delhi government official said. Senior officials said they were eyeing the 2010 Commonwealth Games and hope that the project will be completed well in time. "The 2010 deadline is still achievable and we will strive for it," an official said.