BJP leader raises questions over D’sala skyway project

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, July 20

Senior leader of the BJP from Dharamsala Kishan Kapoor today blamed Minister for Urban Development Sudhir Sharma of presenting wrong facts regarding Skyways Company of Belarus.

Addressing a press conference here, Kapoor alleged the government had entered into memorandum of understanding with the company without following the procedures and checking its credentials.

Kapoor alleged that the Belarus company had not set up any such project anywhere in the world. A study by Russian Railways University had found that the string skyway project, being offered by the Belarus, was unsafe and not commercially viable. In another country, the company was blacklisted for a financial fraud, he said.

It was strange that despite such credentials, the minister took a delegation of officers to Belarus, Kapoor alleged.

The studies had indicated that the skyway project was viable only for about 300 persons per hour. So it was just viable for tourism projects and not as public transport.Kapoor alleged that most of the projects announced by the local minister never took off the ground or were mired in controversy.He said underground dustbins project that was projected as the first of its kind project in the country had also been mired in controversy. The Centre funds worth about Rs 12 crore were likely to be wasted in the project. The underground dustbins that had been brought up had started falling apart. Pressure was being exerted on officials to make payments to the company which installed dustbins.

Kapoor said if the BJP was voted to power, it would order an inquiry into skyway project.

Kishan Kapoor’s allegations

• BJP former minister alleged the government had entered into memorandum of understanding with the company without following the procedures and checking its credentials
• He said Belarus company had not set up any such project anywhere in the world
• A study by Russian Railways University had found that the string skyway project, being offered by the Belarus, was unsafe and not commercially viable. In another country, the company was blacklisted for a financial fraud.