Push Delhi government for better local roads: House panel to Centre

NEW DELHI: Taking cognisance of poor road conditions in Delhi, a parliamentary panel has asked the transport ministry to take up the matter with the state government and not just be a "mute spectator".

"The condition of roads in Delhi is poor, but the government is not utilising even one-third of the allocated fund and the Union ministry is a mute spectator," the parliamentary standing committee on transport and tourism, chaired by Mukul Roy, said in its latest report tabled in Parliament.

The 31-member committee "strongly recommended" the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to convey its "displeasure" to the Delhi government for non-submission of proposals for construction and maintaining the roads in Delhi.

"The committee recommends that the government should take proactive measures to ensure NCT of Delhi is maintaining its roads properly," it said, asking the Centre to take up the issue with the Delhi government on the status of utilisation of funds.

The panel has also expressed "dismay over the inability of the government of Delhi" for not submitting proposals for funds from the Central Road Fund to maintain the roads and sought to know the reasons behind the non-utilisation.

"The committee knows the condition of many roads in Delhi which are in a bad shape," it said.

The ministry, in its reply, has said it released Rs 5.54 crore to the Delhi government during 2016-17 towards one-third of the allocation for the state for the year "to be maintained as reserve by adjusting unutilised funds available with the state out of previous releases made".

However, the Delhi government, according to the ministry, has not even submitted further utilisation certificates.