E-Paper
NDMC to outsource upkeep of roundabouts
The roundabouts and green strips along tree-lined avenues of Lutyens' Delhi may soon go a shade greener as the NDMC is planning to hand over the maintenance of these places to private parties. In return, the companies would be allowed to put up their small signboards in these prime places.
The roundabouts and green strips along tree-lined avenues of Lutyens' Delhi may soon go a shade greener as the NDMC is planning to hand over the maintenance of these places to private parties. In return, the companies would be allowed to put up their small signboards in these prime places.
The NDMC area has 30 roundabouts and 50 kucha side roads that run along prime avenues like Ashoka Road, Tughlaq Road and Teen Murti Marg. The minimum cost for maintaining any one of these green isles would be around Rs 1 lakh per year. However, VVIP locations would not be handed over to private players for security reasons, said a senior official.
The idea of involving private players struck the VIP civic agency when its chairperson Sindhushree Khullar gave strict instructions for maintaining and even enhancing the garden city character of New Delhi as envisaged by Lutyens.
"Maintaining the roundabouts and side roads involved many departments which often led to problems. Moreover, each of these place requires a tubewell for regular watering, an investment the council has not been able to make," said a source. So privatising came as an idea that could take care of these problems.
This is among the several steps taken after Khullar ordered the "go green drive".
"The waterfall of Talkatora garden that has an open restaurant is now being developed as a Mughal garden. A cleanliness drive is on in Nehru and Lodhi gardens," said a senior official.
The council plans to achieve another objective with its green drive. A green cover would limit the demand for increasing road width by cutting trees. "Such a move would invite severe criticism," he said.
But not all roundabouts will be that lucky. The Metro construction has led to the removal of the most famous roundabouts — CP's Central Park — which will get a new look next year. Similarly, three other roundabouts near Parliament face an uncertain future.
