UP yet to complete formalities,Centre refuses to pay for report

On February 5,the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) signed an MoU with the DMRC,enabling the latter to carry out a detailed study of the city’s traffic situation and transportation and prepare a DPR for the project. According to the agreement,the DPR was to be prepared within nine months at a cost of Rs 4 crore. The LDA paid Rs 90 lakh to the DMRC,and the balance is yet to be paid.

Since the Union ministry provides grants to states up to 40 per cent of the cost of feasibility study and the DPR for such transport projects,the UP government wrote to the ministry,requesting for the grant.

In a communication,Sanjeev Kumar Lohia,Officer on Special Duty for Mass Rapid Transit Systems in the Urban Development Ministry,has informed that the request cannot be accepted because the UP government had not taken the in-principal approval of the Centre for the project.

Also,since the metro rail project was “the most expensive transport system”,a comprehensive mobility plan was mandatory before preparing the DPR. A CMP includes data about urban travel demand,alternative transport plans,land-use plans,a transport vision and strategy,Lohia said. He said the ministry had given the in-principal approval in July 2007 to prepare the CMP for a project between Lucknow and Kanpur,but the UP government had taken no step in that direction.

The LDA vice-chairman,Mukesh Kumar Meshram,said he would take up the matter with the ministry for the release of grant. Asked why the in-principal approval was not taken,Meshram refused to comment.

It is not clear if the failure to obtain the in-principle approval and prepare a CMP could affect the project. “It is too early to comment,” Lohia said. The DMRC has hired a consultant,Wilbur Smith Associates,to carry out a study of traffic and transport,roadside survey and population on the probable routes.

The Executive Director of DMRC,Kumar Keshav,said the consultant has started survey in Lucknow and in May-end,a DMRC team will be in Lucknow to join the study.