ITO skywalk hits the road to reality

NEW DELHI: The skywalk and foot overbridge (FOB) connecting Tilak Marg railway station to ITO Metro station will soon become a reality as the expenditure finance committee gave its nod to the project on Friday . Work is expected to start this year.

Two other projects cleared by the committee include red by the committee include strengthening of Ring Road from Mayapuri flyover to Punjabi Bagh flyover and upgrading of roads and drains in Mangolpuri Industrial Area.

The skywalk and FOB were designed through a competition in which the winner was awarded Rs 2.5 lakh. The Centre has agreed to finance about 80% of the project, while the remaining funds will be provided by Delhi government.

“The project is estimated at Rs 54.84 crore of which the ministry of urban development has committed Rs 43.47 crore. The remaining funds will be given by Delhi government. PWD will now start working on a detailed project report after which tenders will be taken out. We expect to start work before the yearend,“ said a senior PWD official.

The infrastructure will connect Sikandra Road, Mathura Road, Tilak Marg and Bahadurshah Zafar Marg with ITO Metro station and the high court. The project is essential due to the high magnitude of vehicular and pedestrian traffic at ITO crossing. The area has numerous offices, two Metro stations and a railway station.

“Once the project is complete, pedestrians will be able to cross the road without having to wade through heavy traffic. It has a unique design, quite different from convention foot overbridges, and will have coffee shops and small kiosks. We have planned WiFi access in at least the central area, if not the entire skywalk,“ said the official.

The FOB will start at Pragati Maidan Metro station and will have three arms. One will go under the Metro line and take pedestrians to the entry of Tilak Bridge railway station. Another will turn left and drop close to Pragati Maidan gate number 9. The third arm will open at ITO crossing.