A day after being accused of ‘hijacking the work of an elected government’ by Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government, Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri today took to Twitter to slam the Delhi government for delaying the mobility projects in the capital by not cooperating with the union government. In a series of tweets, Puri said, that owing to the lack of support from Delhi government, in October 2017 it was decided that the remaining 20% of the funding for the skywalk would be provided by the DDA (Delhi Development Authority, which is under the central government).
Of course it will show as an expenditure in their accounts, but they have to claim this money from DDA, just like they will also claim the UDF component of the project.
They are not, as they want all & surprisingly themselves to believe, funding this project. (2/4) pic.twitter.com/7IbI53igS2
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) October 16, 2018
He added that the state PWD (public works department) would execute the job and then raise a bill to DDA. This way, while the money will show as an expenditure in the state government’s books, the Delhi government would actually be claiming it all back from DDA. Such reimbursement will not take place in cases where the state PWD is not the executing body. Puri then brought out other projects which have hit a roadblock owing to the Delhi government.
Projects for a loop for ISBT Flyover & flyovers at Metcalfe House & Majnu Ka Tila T-Junctions which Delhi Govt insisted on doing itself are non-starters & have not even got financial sanctions!
Like Thomas Jefferson said, Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom. (4/4) pic.twitter.com/Th1lPczNOj— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) October 16, 2018
The skywalk, fully funded by the Centre at the cost of Rs. 54.85 crore, was inaugurated on Monday. On a review undertaken in October 2017 in the Ministry in view of the slow progress in these projects, it was decided that the projects where balance funding of 20% of the project cost was not forthcoming from the Delhi government, the same may be funded by the DDA/ITPO i.e., 100% funding by the Central Government.
While no one from the Delhi government was invited, many current and former PWD workers were present at the ceremony.
