Delay in key projects, city sends report

Chief Secretary submits JNNURM details to Centre

Delhi Chief Secretary S K Srivastava and his team have sent a report to the Union Urban Development Ministry on 13 projects under the central ministry’s JNNURM scheme which have missed the 2012 deadline.

The central government had sought a progress report on the 30 ongoing projects in the capital, giving an indication of its inclination to maintain a close watch on these projects in the coming months. 

Delhi government sources said the report was sought by the ministry at the instance of the Prime Minister’s Office.

“The report was sought at a short notice and we were given a week to do so,” said a senior Public Works Department (PWD) official.

The details of the funds received and their expenditure were given under the report as most of these JNNURM ( Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission) projects were supposed to be completed by 2012, he said. 

The much delayed Rs 1,357 crore project for building interceptor sewers to take the sewage to treatment plants rather than letting it fall in the Yamuna, was one of the highlights of the report, sources said.

Though the official files indicate that 60 per cent of the work on the project has been completed, sources said the ground reality is much worse.

According to the report prepared by Srivastava, there were 28 projects in which the Delhi government was playing the role of a nodal agency.

Out these 28 projects, which were being executed by the various departments of the Delhi government, five have been closed. “Only 10 projects have been completed,” said an official, adding that the other 13 projects were running behind schedule.

The JNNURM scheme was launched in 2005 by the Congress-led UPA for augmenting infrastructure in 70 cities.

Just before the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the Delhi government acquired the world class fleet of public transport buses for the Delhi Transport Corporation.A total of 28 projects were approved by the central ministry for the capital ahead of the international sporting event.  

Out of the 28 projects, 13 were handed over to the PWD, three were given to the Delhi Jal Board and the New Delhi Municipal Council and the DTC were given one project each.

Apart from these, Rs 4 crore were given under JNNURM three years ago to the Delhi Metro to purchase feeder buses. Some municipal corporations were also given projects under the central scheme.