PWD puts bridge reconstruction plans on hold

Thursday, Sep 23, 2010



Abandoning its plan to reconstruct the pedestrian bridge that collapsed on Tuesday, the Public Works Department (PWD) will explore alternative options for spectators to reach the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium. In a meeting with chief minister Sheila Dikshit, senior PWD officials decided to carry out a joint inspection of the Games venue along with the traffic police and work out a new transportation plan.

Senior PWD officials said the alternate plan would also require last-minute changes in the security plans around the entry to the JLN Stadium from its southern and eastern gates.

According to officials, the spectators parking their vehicles at Safdurjung Airport and using park-and-ride service will alight at the Bhisham Pitamah Parking lot and walk at least 500 metres more towards the eastern gate of the stadium.

"They will have to go under the Barapullah elevated road, where it starts descending next to the stadium, and enter the complex," PWD secretary K.K.Sharma said. The spectators were to earlier walk just about 200 metres towards the stadium and take the pedestrian bridge that collapsed to cross the road and enter the stadium, Sharma said.

The new plan, said officials, will require opening of a barricade which was otherwise to be closed. "We'll take the required permissions. Whatever changes are made now will have to be cleared for security," said a senior PWD official. The PWD has also suspended the construction of another pedestrian bridge of the same rainbow design. "We cannot carry out the construction before the Games now. Work on the bridge cannot begin before the two-member inquiry committee submits its report," an official said.

Original news source http://www.hindustantimes.com/PWD-puts-bridge-reconstruction-plans-on-hold/Article1-603554.aspx