Inter-state meet in Delhi to discuss city metro, road links.

A major push is expected on the important issues, including the Chandigarh Metro rail project, inter-state connectivity and an approach link road to the upcoming international terminal in Mohali, when chief secretaries of Punjab and Haryana along with UT Adviser to Administrator will meet for inter state co-ordination committee meeting in New Delhi on March 27 under the chairmanship of the Union Urban Development Secretary.

The current stalemate over the Chandigarh Metro, in which Punjab and Haryana are equal stakeholders, will be on the top of the agenda.

Sources said that the administration will ask for a World Bank loan, increase in equity from the Centre as well as Punjab and Haryana for execution of the Chandigarh Metro rather than undertaking it on public-private partnership, as earlier proposed by the Ministry of Urban Development.

A senior official said that Chandigarh was of the opinion that the Chandigarh Metro project was not feasible under public-private partnership and this would be conveyed in the meeting.'If all stakeholders agree on this, we can then possibly move forward towards signing of the MoU for the formation of a special purpose vehicle that will execute the Rs. 15,000 crore project,' said the official.

The SPV is proposed to be named as the Greater Chandigarh Transport Corporation (GCTC), but the delay in finalisation of the MoU since 2013 has held up progress on the metro project. Both states have recommended some amendments in the MoU regarding the appointment of managing director of the SPV that will also come up for discussion.

'The meeting may bring some clarity over the concerns raised by local administration as well as other stakeholders,' said UT Finance secretary Sarvjit Singh, who is the nodal officer for the metro project.


THE INDIAN EXPRESS