With no funds, MCD road upgrade plans stalled

Friday, December 26, 2008
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com

The MCD’s plan for improving roads, constructing two flyovers and 18 railway under-bridges is lagging behind schedule due to the non-availability of funds. These projects are a part of the Commonwealth Games development plan, in which the MCD had identified sites across the city that needed to be decongested before the Games.

Funds for these projects are to come in from the Delhi Government. The Urban Development Ministry was to provide Rs 723 crore to the MCD within three financial years.

Of that, Rs 300 crore that the MCD was to receive in 2008 has not been given by the Ministry yet.

Chairman of the MCD Standing Committee Vijendra Gupta, along with the MCD Commissioner K S Mehra and other senior officials of the MCD met the Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy, Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Finance) of the Delhi Government.

The MCD demanded that the funds for carrying out construction and development work of roads and bridges be given to the MCD at the earliest.

Gupta said that the projects for the Commonwealth Games had been discussed in March this year. “It was decided in the meeting that the MCD should go ahead with the major schemes in view of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. We had eight schemes amounting to Ra 723.51 crore,” said Gupta.

These schemes include constructing grade separators at Rani Jhansi Road and Pankha Road, widening of the Kishan Ganj railway under-bridge (RUB), construction of another RUB on Deshbandhu Gupta Road across Qutab Road, and improvement of the traffic circulation around the New Delhi Railway Station and widening and strengthening of roads in Okhla Industrial Area Phase I and II.

Gupta said that the MCD has requested the Delhi Government to release funds at the earliest so that the speed of work doesn’t get affected.

“This is not the time to play politics. Commonwealth Games is important for the country. I think the Congress should work in coordination so that our projects are completed before the Games,” added Gupta.