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Agree in-principle to RRTS project, funds a problem: Delhi govt to SC

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Press Trust of India New Delhi

The Delhi government informed the Supreme Court Monday that it has "in-principle" agreed to the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) -- a rail corridor between Delhi-Meerut and Delhi-Panipat -- but funding it was a problem.

It told a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta that it would file an affidavit before the court within three weeks, listing the issues pertaining to the RRTS.

In August, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had urged the Centre to bear Delhi's share of cost of the proposed 82.15-km rapid transit project between Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut, citing inadequate finances.

During the hearing on Monday, advocate Aparajita Singh, assisting the top court as amicus curiae in the matter, said the Delhi government was "sitting" over important issues including RRTS, which is aimed at de-congesting the national capital.

 

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) A N S Nadkarni, appearing for the Centre, also told the bench that Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have agreed to RRTS but Delhi government was not responding.

Advocate Wasim A Qadri, appearing for the Delhi government, said: "In-principle, Delhi government agrees to it (RRTS). The only problem is funds. We will file a detailed affidavit."

He also said that initially the proposal was to have an underground station at Sarai Kale Khan here but it is being stated now it would be elevated and this too was a problem.

The amicus also told the bench that there was a proposal to augment 602 metro coaches but Delhi government was "sitting" over this file also.

Qadri said he would file an affidavit on this issue as well.

The amicus then raised the issue that states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have to issue notification on approved fuel to be used by industries because the apex court has banned the use of pet coke.

The bench asked the three states to file affidavit within two weeks regarding notification on approved fuel.

The court also dealt with the issue of hologram-based, colour-coded stickers for vehicles that would indicate the fuel being used by them.

The amicus flagged the issue that there was only one vendor in a state for issuing high security registration plate (HSRP) for vehicles and it was a "monopoly" of the vendor.

On the issue of hologram-based, colour-coded stickers for vehicles, the ASG told the bench that Union Law Ministry was expected to take a decision on the issue within a day as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has replied to the queries posed by them on the issue.

The bench said it would take up the matter related to hologram-based, colour-coded stickers for vehicles next week.

The apex court had on August 13 accepted the proposal of MoRTH to have hologram-based, colour-coded stickers for vehicles plying in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) which would indicate the nature of fuel used in them.

MoRTH had said that hologram-based light blue colour sticker would be used in vehicles using petrol and CNG fuel, while an orange sticker would be put on diesel-run vehicles.

During the hearing on Friday, the bench had also dealt with the issue of on-board diagnostic (OBD) scanners to check pollution from vehicles.

OBD is an automotive term referring to a vehicle's self-diagnostic and reporting capability. OBD II is designed to inform a car owner about any malfunction, including problems with brake or with the emission control system.

The bench, after going through the preliminary report placed before it by an organisation which was conducting study on OBD, expressed its dissatisfaction on it.

The court asked the organisation to file within four weeks a better report on the issue in consultation with the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA).

These issues have cropped up before the court when it was hearing a matter relating to air pollution in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).

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First Published: Dec 03 2018 | 7:55 PM IST

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