Delhi headed for infrastructural slowdown

NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party fought the Delhi Assembly elections on the anti-corruption plank and its promise to reduce power tariff and provide 700 litre free water to the residents. Strongly focused on its social agenda and with a maximum of two months to announce fresh schemes, the city’s infrastructural development is likely to take a backseat.

Sources in the public works department said there were at least three major projects that would require the government’s attention. These included the Barapullah phase III, flyovers at Metcalfe House and Majnu ka Tila and the Kalindi bypass. “Phase III of Barapullah is a huge project which will improve connectivity between south and east Delhi. Approvals from DUAC and UTTIPEC have already been received for this but the government needs to now sanction funds for it. If it is following a social agenda with power and water on its mind, where will they get the fund for road projects?” said a source.

The Kalindi bypass is also stuck and would require government intervention for acquisition of land from the Uttar Pradesh government. Work had stopped in 2007 since land was not being made available by UP and the project was revived earlier this year. “The matter has to be actively pursued by the Delhi government and usually land acquisition is not an easy task. This is also a crucial project to decongest NH-2 and Ashram chowk,” said a source.

While ongoing projects will not be affected, officials say it is highly unlikely that the government will launch new projects. What will take a back seat is also a dream project of former PWD minister Rajkumar Chauhan that would have provided better roads in the Najafgarh area. Sources said he had wanted a road connecting the Dhansa border towards the Haryana side to Ring Road near Delhi University. Part of this would have been an elevated road running along the Najafgarh drain. The project would have also included upgradation of roads within Najafgarh.

AAP’s manifesto makes a mention of improvement of streetlights and zebra crossings , creation of underpasses at railway crossings and a foot overbridge at Kidwai Nagar . Sources say Delhi urgently needs improvement in its road infrastructure as its traffic is growing at a massive pace and with its two months and a massive agenda, AAP will not be able to improve public transport. “There are stretches where traffic is growing at 10-15 % each year. We cannot afford to slow down on work or the city will head for a disaster ,” said a source.