Thursday, November 20, 2014

Cidco holds on to funds, CR threatens to stop work on Belapur-Uran project

Cidco holds on to funds, CR threatens to stop work on Belapur-Uran project
Mumbai:
TNN


Central Railway has threatened to stop work on the Seawoods-BelapurUran double line project as the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) has not released its share of funds--Rs 78 crore-for 2013-14. The railway board has released its share of Rs 39 crore this year. A CR official said, “We have completed 20% work on the 27-km-long corridor.“
Work on the double line project started in 1997, when the project cost was put at Rs 495.49 crore. It was later revised to 1,412 crore in 2010, but the delay has now resulted in the cost spiralling to over Rs 1,800 crore. The project aims to connect residents of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Uran, to Mumbai and Thane by railways. In anticipation of the proposed railway line, massive development has taken shape along the route.The project is being implemented on a cost-sharing basis between Cidco and the ministry of railways in the ratio of 67:33. Railway officials said the work progress depended on release of funds from Cidco.
A senior railway official said, “If Cidco releases payments in time, work can be completed in four years.“
However, the project is likely to run into another hurdle as Cidco is yet acquire and hand over land required for 2.71-km section of the line to the railways.
A Cidco official, in-charge of the project, told TOI: “A proposal is being prepared to release the payment. Before channelizing the payment slabs, we always reconsider the previous sanctioned funds after cross-checking the expenditure mode. The payment will be released in 15 days.“

No comments:

Post a Comment