Title - Minister trains guns at DMRC for delay in Metro

The Urban Development and Housing (UDH) minister, Shanti Dhariwal has expressed dissatisfaction over the slow progress in the Jaipur Metro project on the stretch from Mansarovar to Chandpole.The minister said the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) that the corporation would be solely be held responsible if the project is not completed by June next year. Dhariwal expressed his dissatisfaction during the review meeting with the DMRC managing director Mangu Singh and others on Saturday. Discussing the progress of the civil works in the project, the minister said the sub-contractors have not expedited the project so far. The sub-contractor DSC was focus of the discussion as it has been issued a notice for the delay in the civil works. The company has been contracted for the elevated track from Mansarovar to Chandpole, excluding the segment from Ajmer Bridge to Ram Nagar. “We discussed the slow progress in the civil works under the DSC sub-contractor. However, I clearly told the DMRC that the Metro project is being executed by the DMRC and it is entirely responsible for the timely completion of the project,” said the UDH minister. “I also advised the DMRC that it should start the process of seizing bank guarantees and machineries of the sub-contractors who delay the project,” added the minister. However, sources said the DMRC assured the UDH minister that the project would be ready by June 2013. Completing the project on time is one of the conditions of a contract signed between the DMRC and the Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation project (JMRC). On the other hand, the DMRC officials are ready to take strict action against DSC.

The sources said the company has been asked to give a reply for the delay by September 26. “If the company does not send a satisfactory reply in the given time period, then the DMRC will hire another contractor to execute the rest of the project. The tender will be issued on the Risk clause that says that cost of the rest project will be borne by the DSC company,” said a DMRC official, requesting anonymity.