UP, Haryana should also share NCR burden: Dikshit

CM urges these states to set up more hospitals, colleges

Chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday stressed upon the need of developing more government hospitals and educational institutions in neighbouring towns of Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region) to ease pressure on the capital.

While expressing concern over increasing number of students and patients coming from neighbouring states to Delhi, Dikshit asked the NCR Planning Board and Union urban development minister Kamal Nath to devise an action plan for providing quality services in satellite towns.

She also requested the board to come out with a set of guidelines for disposal of waste of Delhi in collaboration with UP and Haryana.

Dikshit said that Delhi being the hub of super-speciality and advanced treatment, bears a heavy burden of patients from neighbouring states, which can be avoided if hospitals located in NCR are upgraded in capacity and service profile.

She said the UP and Haryana governments must commission more and more government hospitals with advanced treatment facility, and demanded similar action in respect of educational institutions.

According to her, Delhi has 190 night shelters and more are required, but scarcity of land does not permit construction of more night shelters. She demanded a unified strategy so that more night shelters can be created in satellite towns.

Nath told Dikshit that the housing and urban poverty alleviation ministry has agreed to release 50 per cent of the grant amount, whereas another 20 per cent  will be released by the NCR Board for setting up 24x7 night shelters in NCR towns.

On the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), it was decided to set up the NCR Transport Corporation. The alignment of the 111-km-long Delhi-Panipat, 180-km-long Delhi-Alwar and 90-km-long Delhi-Meerut RRTS has been finalized.

The government has now decided to appoint a financial consultant to suggest formulation of sharing of investment between the stakeholders. The total cost of the three routes (RRTS) will be Rs 72,000 crore. They are likely to be commissioned in 2016.

The NCR Planning Board has given approval for setting up two multi-modal transit centres in Kashmere Gate and Anand Vihar.

Dikshit also raised the issue of delay in commissioning the Western Peripheral Expressway from Kundli to Palwal via Manesar. The delay is happening due to the attitude of the contractor, it was informed in the meeting. Nath has decided to hold a meeting soon to resolve the impasse.

Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna and chief secretary D M Spolia accompanied Dikshit in the meeting.