Red sandstone chariot to be installed on Delhi road junction

The chariot will be surrounded by a waterbody and array of fountains at the intersection of the Sardar Patel Marg and Panchsheel Marg in central Delhi

The New Delhi Municipal Council will install a chariot made of red sandstone surrounded by a waterbody and array of fountains at the traffic intersection of the Sardar Patel Marg and Panchsheel Marg in central Delhi, people aware of the matter said on Monday.

The public space is being developed in continuation of the series of artworks installed on New Delhi roads in the run-up to the G20 Summit, NDMC said. (HT Photo)

NDMC vice chairperson Satish Upadhyay said that the public space is being developed in continuation of the series of artworks installed on New Delhi roads in the run-up to the G20 Summit.

“We have installed several fountains and sculptures along SP Marg. This latest installation will be set up under CSR and the council will develop the associated infrastructure, marble platform, and waterbody around it,” Upadhyay said.

An NDMC official, who asked not to be named, said that the red sandstone chariot will be brought from Rajasthan. “It will be 9 feet high and 15 feet wide. The overall area of the installation will be 135 square feet. The illuminated chariot will be surrounded by fountains on all sides with a pool of water around it. The cost of the chariot is expected to be around ₹10 lakh while the rest of the work will likely cost between ₹30 lakh to ₹40 lakh. The development of the intersection is expected to be completed in 2.5 months,” the official added.

The civic body invited bids for the beautification of the area, and the development of a small waterbody and platforms on December 4, and the foundation work will likely conclude in 45 days after a vendor is selected, the official added.

The council is trying to rope in cottage industries for the installation of the chariot. “The installation will be developed on one of the traffic islands and it will be visible on the left side while moving on Sardar Patel Marg from Gyarah Murti. A similar installation is also being planned near the RML hospital,” the official said.

SP Marg and surrounding areas feature multiple sculptures developed by artists from Sahitya Kala Parishad. The 12 sculptures made of black marble were carved by the SKP artists on themes like musicians, unity, women empowerment, flowing water and animals.

Earlier this year, NDMC initiated the project to install a new set of sculptures at major roundabouts/rotaries and arterial roads to improve the aesthetics of public spaces. The sculptures were installed at key points including white marble animal figurines near the Ashok hotel, Panchsheel Marg-Lok Kalyan Marg roundabout, and Tughlaq Road.