File photo of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today slammed Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for not inviting Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the inauguration of Badarpur extension metro line.
"The DMRC is a professional body and usually does not indulge in such petty politics. DMRC is a joint venture of the Centre and the Delhi government.
"In the past, when there was proposal of extending Delhi metro in other parts of the NCR, the DMRC would take Delhi government into confidence but this has not happened this time," Saurabh Bhardwaj, AAP's Delhi unit secretary and former transport minister, said.
Meanwhile, a senior DMRC official said today's inaugural programme was not organised by them.
"DMRC did not organise the inaugural programme for the new Badarpur-Faridabad metro line. Instead, Haryana government organised this programme. DMRC did not invite anybody including media for the same," the official said.
The official also said that Haryana government has funded this extension project of Metro (Badarpur to Faridabad) as nine stations of the new line come under the jurisdiction of Haryana.
"Delhi government gives funds to DMRC for the projects which are only executed in the capital. Today's programme was not organised by the DMRC," the official added.
However, a senior Delhi government official said the city government gives 50 per cent of the fund to DMRC for its project executed in the national capital.
DMRC has equal equity participation from the Centre and Delhi government, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the much-awaited Badarpur-Faridabad Metro that will connect the national capital with the satellite town.