Delhi may finally get its Signature bridge, which will be India's first asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge, by the end of this October. The Delhi Cabinet has approved the Public Work Department's (PWD) final revised installment of Rs 1,518.37 crore for the completion of construction work of the bridge on Thursday. The move comes days after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had cleared three development projects, including the Signature bridge project, stuck in the power tussle between the state government and the Lieutenant Governor's office. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia made the announcement after the Cabinet meeting on Thursday. "The Delhi Cabinet cleared the proposal for the final payment for Signature Bridge. Ninety-six per cent of the work is already complete. Now there should be no hurdles in opening the bridge by October 31," he tweeted.
According to Delhi government, the PWD has also proposed that the project be completed as per approved scope of work within scheduled period at the sanctioned cost. "No cost escalation will be considered in future," it said in a statement.
The construction of this Signature bridge, which will connect the Outer Ring Road to Wazirabad, was first proposed in 1997 to check the traffic woes. The proposal was made after an accident of a school bus on the existing narrow Wazirabad bridge. As many as 22 children died in the accident. However, the project could not see the light of the day for years due to inadequate funds.
Finally, the Rs 1,500 crore project was proposed by the Sheila Dikshit government in 2004 and received a nod to start work in 2007. Initially, it was to be ready for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. However, the deadline was later revised to 2013. It was later pushed to June 2016 and then to July 2017 and December 2017.
Then the project was to be completed in March this year, however, due to a delay in releasing of funds, the deadline again shifted twice, first June and then October. The bridge, once completed, will take vehicular pressure off the existing Wazirabad bridge.
SAGA OF DEADLINES
The Rs 1,500 crore project was proposed by the Sheila Dikshit government in 2004 and received a nod to start work in 2007. Initially, it was to be ready for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. However, the deadline was later revised to 2013. It was later pushed to June 2016 and then to July 2017 and December 2017.
