Delay in acquisition of land may delay Delhi Metro Phase-III.

Delay in acquisition of land is putting a question mark on the completion of the Delhi Metro's Phase-III work. This is what DMRC boss Mangu Singh had written to the state chief secretary earlier this month. In the letter, Singh has clearly warned that if the identified pockets of land are not handed over immediately, commissioning of Phase-III could be impacted, and not completed on time.

The letter, a copy of which is with TOI, is candid about the impact of non-availability of these pockets of land. The total area is a measly 307m, said a Delhi government official. The letter also asks chief secretary D M Spolia to step in and 'avoid the situation'. 'You will appreciate that DMRC planned the work to accommodate the delay in handing over of the land at the above locations but any further delay now will affect the completion of Phase-III,' says the letter by the Delhi Metro chief. The letter goes on to say: 'The line cannot be commissioned in time unless the land pockets are handed over immediately.' The letter was written on November 11. A copy of the letter has also been sent to lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung.

The pockets of land identified affect line 7 (Mukundpur-Shiv Vihar) mostly, added the official. 'The entire line is 56.8km long. But the line goes through highly congested areas, which are slowly being vacated for the Delhi Metro work,' said the government official.


ET