CM Gupta lays foundation for FOB near Rajputana Rifles HQ in Delhi Cantt

The ₹1.5 crore project, due by March, follows a decade of delays, an HT exposé, and Delhi High Court intervention after repeated pleas from the regiment.

Chief minister Rekha Gupta and Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Verma on Saturday laid the foundation stone for a foot overbridge near the Rajputana Rifles headquarters in Delhi Cantonment area along the Ring Road. Officials said that tenders have been floated for the work and the overbridge is expected to be ready by March next year.

The original FOB plan was approved in 2010 but scrapped; ministers called neglect “shameful” as the old culvert remains unsafe, forcing soldiers through drain water. (Vipin Kumar/HT)

“This is a Diwali gift for our brave soldiers who were earlier forced to cross a tunnel which was at a very low height and dirty. As soon as the Rajputana Rifles team informed us about this problem, our government got into action and approved the construction of FOB. The previous governments never appreciated the importance of our brave soldiers,” CM Gupta said at the foundation laying ceremony.

The CM along with other ministers also visited the culvert that has been used by the soldiers for years to reach the other side. She said that they will not have to use it next monsoon.

PWD minister Verma said it was shameful that the previous government did not pay attention to this basic need of soldiers. “They spent ₹80 crore on their Sheesh Mahal, but could not spare ₹1.5 crore for an FOB for our soldiers. Of all the projects that we are dedicating to the people during the sewa pakhwada, this is the one we are most proud of,” he said.

On May 26 this year, an HT report highlighted how thousands of soldiers of Rajputana Rifles, the oldest rifle regiment of the Indian Army, negotiate a smelly culvert that overflows during rains on their way to the parade ground due to the absence of a safe crossing. They do this four times a day – twice before breakfast and twice after dusk as the Delhi government has failed to build a foot overbridge despite multiple requests in the last decade.

The problem aggravates during monsoon as the culvert fills up with rainwater runoff and the trainees of the Rajputana Rifles regiment have to either wade through waist deep drain water or walk along the road for over 2.5 kilometres.

“It was a long struggle and we approached several government officials with the request before reaching out to the CM. One of the officials even joked that the Army should be able to manage through such difficulties, but we kept at it and I am glad the government and the CM have finally taken swift action and started work,” said brigadier (retired) Abhijit Chandra, who was the commandant of the regiment when they approached the current government with a fresh request for the FOB.

HT had found that the FOB was also approved in 2010. The project was eventually scrapped until the demand was raised again recently. Following the HT report, the Delhi High Court took suo motu cognisance and asked agencies to ensure its construction.

After PWD informed the court that the FOB construction will take at least a year, the court suggested that a Bailey bridge be made for temporary relief. Work on building the Bailey bridge has started and is likely to be completed within a month.