Will deduct RRTS dues from Delhi govt's ad budget, warns apex court

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sharply criticised the Delhi government for not clearing dues of ₹415 crore for the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), and warned that it will order that the money will be deducted from the state's advertising budget if the payment is not made within a week.

- Abraham Thomas

The apex court was hearing an application by National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) the agency in charge of carrying out the RRTS project which said that the Delhi government was yet to clear the dues, despite the court's orders on July 24 that set a final two-month deadline to make the payment.

"We are left with no option but to direct that the funds allocated under the advertising budget by the state for this year be transferred to the project... At the request of the (Delhi government) counsel, the order shall be kept in abeyance for a period of one week. If funds are not transferred for the project, the funds (from advertising budget) will stand transferred," a bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia said.

"You cannot take this court for granted... We will post this matter on November 28. We will see what you have done that day," the court said.

The Delhi government was required to contribute ₹1,180 crore towards its share for the construction of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor.