And the government wants to make the first phase of these two projects operational before 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Transport minister Haroon Yusuf, transport commissioner R K Verma and DIMTS chairman S N Sahay were present at a meeting held today to discuss the issue.

The project has been prepared by Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS), which is involved in the implementation of the controversial BRTS.

The plan is to spend Rs 6,893 crore on the construction of three LRT corridors in the first phase — which will run for 45 km and have 38 stations. The construction of first phase of Mono Rail entails a budget of Rs 5,738 crore on three corridors with a total length of 47.7 km with 43 stations.

Official sources said the plan is to join areas with a high population density with important business and official districts. “We will make sure that the two systems serve areas that are currently not being served by the Delhi Metro,” an official said.

The technical feasibility for both projects has been checked and the DMITS has initiated a Detailed Project Report.

“The report will be presented before the government within six months, after which the tendering process is likely to begin. The Delhi government aims to begin work on both projects by July 2009,” another official said.

Yusuf said the DIMTS has been asked to successfully implement a multi-modal public transport system in the city before the Commonwealth Games. “We hope to complete the first phase of both LRT and Mono Rail systems before the Games,” he said.

While LRT corridors in the city will be constructed on both elevated and ground level tracks, Mono Rail will operate only on elevated tracks.

Asked why the government wants to impose a new public transport systems on the city without making the existing ones successful, he said the government will make all transportation systems successful. “We want to provide the city with a world class transport system,” he added.

Over the past few weeks, the Delhi government has been facing severe criticism from the citizens and transport experts over the BRTS project. The criticism had also forced the government to first curtail the segment of the project to 5.8 km and later to launch another pilot project of the BRTS scheme, wherein the bus lane is to be at the extreme left side of the road, unlike the first pilot project.

On BRT, room for cars subject to ‘availability’
While the government has decided to begin a second pilot project to study “alternatives”, the space meant for car users between Moolchand and Delhi Gate is still subject to the availability of additional space and widening the road. This effectively means that car users have to live with the fact that there will still be a 3.3 m single lane dedicated to buses. Though the government is looking at shifting bus lanes to the left side of the road, transport commissioner RK Verma told Newsline that space for buses, footpaths or cycle lanes will not be shrunk to accommodate cars. “We will try and make space for cars by widening the road wherever possible,” he said.

The department reportedly has asked RITES to look at widening the 9-km stretch between Moolchand and Delhi Gate along the ITO intersection and the Oberoi flyover intersection. According to officials, during the construction of the first corridor, the existing road was widened at three places — near Virat Marg junction on the left, between Panchsheel and Siri Fort crossing and near Kaka Nagar junction. After reports of traffic jams at intersections along the 5.8-km corridor between Ambedkar Nagar and Moolchand, the government acquired land to widen the road around the Press Enclave intersection and Chirag Dilli intersection.