Bill for nation-wide Metro to come up in Parliament

NEW DELHI: Keen to spread the network of Metro rail across the country, the Centre has decided to enact a law aimed at addressing the legal hurdles in such an endeavour.
       
The Bill to amend the Delhi Metro Operation and Maintenance Act, 2002 will be introduced in Parliament in the current session so that it could be passed and the move gets implemented fast.
       
"The draft of the Metro Rail Amendment Bill, 2008 is ready and awaiting Cabinet approval. Once it is approved by the Cabinet, it will be introduced in the Lok Sabha in the ongoing Budget session," a senior official in the Urban Development Ministry said.
       
The government decided to effect the amendment after witnessing legal hurdles while extending the Delhi Metro Rail to Noida in Uttar Pradesh and Gurgaon in Haryana in the absence of a central legislation.
       
"The enactment of a central legislation is required to provide legislative backup to all Metro operations in the country," the official said, adding "it will be a smooth operation once a central law is enacted."