GOM looking at feasibility of S Delhi underground metro line

New Delhi, Jan 3 (UNI) The Union Government today informed the Delhi High Court that projects undertaken by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation(DMRC) are supervised by a committee of Group of Ministers(GOM).

Counsel for the Government Jyoti Singh said though there was a GOM which looks into the entire DMRC project but the plea made by residents of south Delhi colonies to build the Metro project underground instead of an elevated one was yet to be considered. A division bench comprising Justices T S Thakur and Aruna Suresh directed the Centre to expeditiously take a decision in this matter and see whether there was any feasibility to build the Metro underground as requested by the residents of south Delhi colonies and inform the Court by January 17.

The Court had earlier, refused to grant any stay to the petitioners for construction of the Metro project. The Court had observed ''Let the Metro do its job. Metro is doing a good job and we will not interfere in it.'' The Court was hearing a bunch of petitions filed by residents welfare associations of some colonies of south Delhi challenging the construction of an elevated Metro line on the ground saying it would intrude on their privacy.

The proposed link among others will pass through Greater Kailash, Defence Colony, Lajpat Nagar, Kailash Colony, Jangpura and Kalkaji.

The residents of colonies between Jangpura and Kakaji have expressed apprehension that the overhead Metro will pose a threat to the greenery and the six monuments in the area would be affected.

UNI SNG SP BD1855