Decks cleared for ₹46,845-cr DMRC's Phase-IV corridors

Construction work on the much delayed Delhi Metro Phase-IV is set to start soon with the Centre and Delhi governments having agreed in principle on the financial aspects and cost sharing modalities of the 103 km long project involving an investment of ₹46,845 crore. Phase-IV will have six corridors for which both the governments have released ₹800 crore to start work on a the first three corridors priority basis. These corridors are Mukundpur-Maujpur, Janakpuri West to R K Ashram, Aerocity to Tughlakabad, Inderlok-Indraprastha, Lajpat Nagar-Saket G Block, and Rithala-Bawana-Narela. Of the 103.94 km, 37.01 km will be underground while around 66.92 km will be elevated. The Delhi cabinet had in 2018 approved the total cost of ₹5,994 crore for the first three corridors. As per DMRC, its operational network is 343 km with an average daily ridership of nearly 28 lakh. The Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), which recently filed a report in the apex court, has said that phase-IV will add significantly to the public transport infrastructure in the city. The project had got entangled in a legal tussle over issues like operational losses, repayment of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) loan in case of default, and sharing of land cost and taxes. But the court has recently passed an order concluding that phase-IV project is "critical" and has directed both the governments to resolve the pending issues.