Delhi to add infra worth ₹4,500 crore by April 2024

Eleven ongoing projects by the Delhi Development Authority worth over ₹4,500 crore are expected to be completed in the next three months, including slum rehabilitation projects, sporting infrastructure, and drainage infrastructure for the Delhi airport. The projects have the potential to alter the cityscape and push towards inclusive rehabilitation of slum dwellers. One project, the Vaishnavi nursery-cum-garden recreational space, has had its contract revoked due to delays. The completion of these projects will bring socio-economic changes and enhance the city's skyline.

Eleven ongoing projects of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) worth more than ₹4,500 crore will likely be completed over the next three months, the lieutenant governor’s office said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the LG office said these projects have the potential to alter the cityscape, and skyline as well as push towards an inclusive in situ rehabilitation of slum dwellers in the Capital. (HT Archive)

These projects include several slum rehabilitation projects, new sporting infrastructure in Dwarka and Rohini, landscaping work along the ghats of the Yamuna, a section of Bharat Vandana Park (Dwarka), critical drainage infrastructures for the Delhi airport and beautification of spaces around Shanti Van and Vijay Ghat.

LG VK Saxena, who is also the chairperson of DDA, reviewed these projects on Tuesday.

In a statement, the LG office said these projects have the potential to alter the cityscape, and skyline as well as push towards an inclusive in situ rehabilitation of slum dwellers in the Capital.

The secretariat said: that the LG has ordered a revocation of the contract for the development of Vaishnavi nursery-cum-garden recreational space in Ashok Vihar in North Delhi due to delays in this project. “LG has expressed grave exception to the delay being caused in the development of the space. Vaishnavi has been hanging in balance for more than one year with much work pending due to the non-performance of the contractor. LG ordered for the contract to be revoked, and bank guarantee of the contractor to be seized, the firm be blacklisted and asked officers to float a fresh tender,” an official said.

The projects that will likely be completed over the next three months include the Jailorwala Bagh and Kathputli Colony in-situ rehabilitation.

“The Jailorwala Bagh project will house around 1,675 families living in neighborhood slums. It is complete and flats worth ₹421 crore will be handed over to the beneficiaries by the first week of March. Kathputli Colony project will house 2,800 families, in about 1,400 flats, ready for occupation by March,” the official added.

Similarly, the EWS housing component of the Karkardooma transit-oriented development (ToD) project comprising 498 flats on 23 floors — with a basement parking complex — will be ready by February. The LG office said that the project worth ₹1,168 crore “has the potential to change the skyline of East Delhi and bring socio-economic changes”.

Among the other projects under review, the first phase of the Bharat Vandana Park in Dwarka with replicas of monuments from all states and Union territories will be completed by March 2024.

The official cited above added that the entire project, over 200 acres, being developed at the cost of ₹512.47 crore will be ready by June this year. The projects nearing completion also include the Golf Course in Dwarka Sector 24, and the Centres of Excellence at Dwarka Sector 8, 19, 23 and Rohini Sector 33, on specific aquatic and field sports. These would be opened between March and April. “The total amount being spent on creating this sports Infrastructure is ₹377.08 crore,” the LG house said.

The two major drainage projects that are likely to be completed in February include the critical Airport Drain Project — to address flooding and drainage issues at the IGI Airport — and TD-2/5 drainage projects in Dwarka. DDA said it would also aim to complete the landscaping work at Baansera which recently hosted the International Kite Festival, Vasudev Ghat near the Monastery market and Asita, which hosted foreign diplomats in the run-up to the G20 Summit — by March this year.

“We are also undertaking the re-development and re-furbishing of the service road adjacent to Vijay Ghat and Shanti Van with fountains and rock sculptures, which will be completed by March,” the official added.