India, June 25 -- In one of the biggest road infrastructure approvals this year, the Delhi government on Wednesday cleared projects worth Rs.657.99 crore to strengthen 270.63 km of roads across the city, with the work set to cover major stretches in East, North and South Delhi. The projects, approved by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, will be executed under a new zone-wise tendering model aimed at improving quality control, monitoring and accountability. The government has allocated Rs.147.08 crore for 58.29 km of roads in East Delhi, Rs.247.31 crore for 104.42 km in North Delhi and Rs.263.61 crore for 107.92 km in South Delhi. Together, the works will cover more than 270 km of key arterial roads and are targeted for completion by October. Also Read - Capital races against monsoon: 30.91L metric tonnes silt removed, 1,900 km drains cleaned Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said, "The project will make Delhi's roads safer, more durable and of better quality. It will improve the condition of several key roads across East, North and South Delhi and help strengthen road infrastructure in line with modern standards." Among the prominent roads included in the project are Road No. 66 from Seelampur to Gokalpuri (3.8 km), Outer Ring Road from Chandgi Ram Akhara to Wazirabad (2.5 km), GT Road (1.88 km) and Avtar Singh Marg (1.9 km) in East Delhi. In North Delhi, roads such as Pankha Road (2.48 km), Satguru Ram Singh Marg (3.4 km), Lala Ganesh Das Khatri Marg (1.27 km) and Major Sudesh Marg (1.9 km) will be strengthened. South Delhi will see upgrades on stretches including SSN Marg (10.5 km), Mandi Road (4 km), Barapullah Elevated Road Phase-I (4.3 km), Nelson Mandela Marg (4.04 km) and Pankha Road (4.08 km). Also Read - MCD streamlines trade licence process with portal integration The project includes cold milling of damaged road surfaces, laying of Dense Bituminous Macadam (DBM) and Bituminous Concrete (BC), tack coat application, road markings, installation of signboards and safety infrastructure, and construction of kerb channels for drainage. Highlighting a major policy change, Gupta said, "For the first time, Delhi is adopting a zone-wise composite tendering system in place of the conventional road-wise tendering model. This will help make project execution, quality control and monitoring more effective." The Chief Minister said all contracts would carry a five-year Defect Liability Period (DLP). "If a pothole develops on any road during the liability period, it will be repaired within 48 hours," she said. Project monitoring will be carried out through the GSDL/DPMG portal, with geo-tagged photographs uploaded before, during and after construction. Independent quality audits will be conducted by CSIR-CRRI and the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA). Emphasising environmental safeguards, Gupta said the tenders have been prepared in accordance with CAQM norms. "Better roads will not only provide safer and smoother travel for citizens but will also help reduce dust pollution and contribute to a cleaner environment in the Capital," she said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.