ECC fund for ebuses canrsquot spare for RRTS Delhi government

  • | Tuesday | 19th February, 2019

Besides, Rs 50 crore were proposed to be utilised for supporting the last mile connectivity measures being undertaken by DMRC. It pegged the total cost for purchasing buses and creating suitable infrastructure at around Rs 1,122 crore and said that ECC fund of Rs 1,106 crore would be used for this.“It is proposed to utilise an estimated amount of Rs 960 crore from the ECC fund to support the induction of 1,000 electric buses by way of capital subsidy over a period of three years and another Rs 96 crore for charging infrastructure. NEW DELHI: Responding to the Supreme Court’s suggestion that the amount collected under Environment Compensation Charge (ECC) be used for construction of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut regional rapid transit system ( RRTS ), Delhi government has told the court that the money has already been earmarked for purchasing 1,000 electric buses and cannot be used for the corridor.After Delhi government took the stand that it had no money to fund its share in RRTS, the apex court had agreed with the recommendation of the Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority that ECC fund should be utilised for the project aimed at decongesting traffic on Delhi roads.In an affidavit, Delhi government told the court that it would not be able to procure 1,000 electric buses if ECC fund was diverted for RRTS. Part of ECC was also proposed to be utilised for upgrading infrastructure in ISBTs,” the affidavit said.“Government of Delhi is not in a position either to utilise the fund from ECC or make budgetary provision for construction of Inter-State Bus Terminus, underpasses and other required infrastructure facilities and the same may be funded through the Urban Development Fund,” the affidavit, filed by advocate Chirag M Shroff, said.The total cost of RRTS project is around Rs 31,632 crore out of which Delhi has to pay Rs 1,138 cr and the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government have to pay Rs 11,515 crore. Rest of the amount, which is around Rs 19,000 crore, is to be funded by Asian Development Bank.But the project, which was planned way back in 2006, is not taking off as the Delhi government contended that it has no funds to spare for the project and requested the Centre to bear its share.The Delhi government blamed the Centre for “unfairly” depriving it of rightful share from the pool of central taxes.Countering the allegation of EPCA that it was delaying the project, the affidavit said, “While EPCA has proposed maintaining the principle of sharing in meeting expenditure of urban transport projects, such a principle cannot be applied in this scenario...”

NEW DELHI: Responding to the Supreme Court’s suggestion that the amount collected under Environment Compensation Charge (ECC) be used for construction of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut regional rapid transit system ( RRTS ), Delhi government has told the court that the money has already been earmarked for purchasing 1,000 electric buses and cannot be used for the corridor.After Delhi government took the stand that it had no money to fund its share in RRTS, the apex court had agreed with the recommendation of the Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority that ECC fund should be utilised for the project aimed at decongesting traffic on Delhi roads.In an affidavit, Delhi government told the court that it would not be able to procure 1,000 electric buses if ECC fund was diverted for RRTS. It pegged the total cost for purchasing buses and creating suitable infrastructure at around Rs 1,122 crore and said that ECC fund of Rs 1,106 crore would be used for this.“It is proposed to utilise an estimated amount of Rs 960 crore from the ECC fund to support the induction of 1,000 electric buses by way of capital subsidy over a period of three years and another Rs 96 crore for charging infrastructure. Besides, Rs 50 crore were proposed to be utilised for supporting the last mile connectivity measures being undertaken by DMRC. Part of ECC was also proposed to be utilised for upgrading infrastructure in ISBTs,” the affidavit said.“Government of Delhi is not in a position either to utilise the fund from ECC or make budgetary provision for construction of Inter-State Bus Terminus, underpasses and other required infrastructure facilities and the same may be funded through the Urban Development Fund,” the affidavit, filed by advocate Chirag M Shroff, said.The total cost of RRTS project is around Rs 31,632 crore out of which Delhi has to pay Rs 1,138 cr and the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government have to pay Rs 11,515 crore. Rest of the amount, which is around Rs 19,000 crore, is to be funded by Asian Development Bank.But the project, which was planned way back in 2006, is not taking off as the Delhi government contended that it has no funds to spare for the project and requested the Centre to bear its share.The Delhi government blamed the Centre for “unfairly” depriving it of rightful share from the pool of central taxes.Countering the allegation of EPCA that it was delaying the project, the affidavit said, “While EPCA has proposed maintaining the principle of sharing in meeting expenditure of urban transport projects, such a principle cannot be applied in this scenario...”

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