The Times of India    31.08.2012

Delhi Govt. to re-develop 825 km of roads

The Public Works Department of Delhi Government is drawing up a Rs.1,050 crore plan for complete re-development of nearly 825 km of roads that have been transferred to it from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

Delhi PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan said on Thursday that the plan envisages taking up works worth Rs.250 crore in the current fiscal and of another Rs.800 crore in 2013-14.

The Minister said to expedite the works, the financial approvals for both the years are being taken in one go. “The payments for the work undertaken during the next fiscal would have to be made at a later stage but following the approvals we would be able to plan out and start the work for the next fiscal right in the beginning of the year.”

Mr. Chauhan said under the plan these roads would be given a complete makeover. “The scope of work would include dense carpeting of the road, construction of pavements and central verge, greening of the sidewalks and adjoining areas, making provision for streetlighting and installation of signages in keeping with the guidelines.”

The PWD had earlier this year drawn up a comprehensive plan to keep the nearly 1130 km of roads with it free of any water-logging. It had 485 km of its own roads with it till last year and 645 km of over 60-foot wide roads were transferred to the Department from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

While earlier these roads were maintained by MCD, this is the first year when PWD is also maintaining them.

The Department had also undertaken minor repair of the MCD reports before the onset of the monsoons and would be undertaking major road improvement work from October. Mr. Chauhan said the tenders for some of the roads have also been prepared and the work would start as soon as the rainy season would end.

The Minister said the Department plans to construct all the 825 km of roads transferred to it within a year-and-a-half.

Incidentally, much of the road construction and improvement activity is expected to start showing results ahead of the Assembly elections due late next year.