Delhi govt sets sights on wrapping up city’s pending infra work

The allocation is part of the ₹9,539 crore set aside for road infrastructure, bridges and transportation projects in the Budget this year.

The Delhi government will complete work on five under-construction bridges, two underpasses and a pedestrian subway, and extension of Delhi-Noida Direct (DND) flyway to Ashram in 2022-23, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia declared in his Budget speech on Saturday, after allotting ₹114 crore for the ongoing projects in Budget.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. 

The allocation is part of the ₹9,539 crore set aside for road infrastructure, bridges and transportation projects in the Budget this year. The sector’s Budget share, 12.6% of the total ₹75,800 crore this year, has dropped marginally from last year, when the government set aside ₹9,394 crore (13.61%) of the overall ₹69,000 crore Budget.

Sisodia, who also holds the Public Works Department (PWD) portfolio, also said the work on the Ashram underpass has already been completed, and that the tunnels and underpasses in Pragati Maidan will be ready by May 2022.

Sisodia said that the completion of the projects in 2022 will help decongest areas including Tri Nagar, Inderlok, Karampura, Rampura, Nangloi, Basai Darapur, Kondli and Ashram Chowk.

The PWD minister said the government is committed to strengthening the road infrastructure in the city.

Another ₹100 crore has been allocated for the ongoing construction of an elevated corridor in east Delhi under Delhi Metro phase 4 project. “DMRC is constructing an elevated corridor with flyover at Karawal Nagar, Ghonda and Brijpuri Junction on Mangal Pandey Marg. For this, an outlay of ₹100 crore is proposed in the budget,” he said.

The Budget document claims there are 410,000 daily users for the government’s free Wi-Fi scheme, operating through 11,000 free Wi-Fi hotspots across Delhi.

The PWD will also add another 325 high-mast national flags in various parts of the city in the next five months. “175 national flags have already been installed at various places in Delhi and the remaining flags will be hoisted by August 15 this year,” Sisodia said.

The minister also said that the government will undertake work in unauthorised colonies and set aside ₹1,300 crore for it.