Subways with cafes and shops planned along scrapped BRT
NEW DELHI: The Public Works Department (PWD) has invited suggestions from residents’ of neighbouring areas for the layout plan to redesign the 5.8-kilometre Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor project, which was scrapped in February 2016.
The PWD has decided to redesign the road with construction of six subways that would have provision for cafes and shops. “As per the plan, humps will be made on this stretch under which low-inclined subways will be constructed. These subways can be used by vehicles to take u-turns and for pedestrians to cross the road,” a senior PWD official said.
On Saturday, a meeting was called by the senior officials of PWD with the RWAs to give presentations on infrastructure development happening in Greater Kailash. The meeting was convened by area MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj at CR Park.
However, the residents demanded that the agency must make arrangements to deal with congestion at three major bottlenecks — Chirag Dilli, GK-I Archana complex and Moolchand.
“These points are always confusing and remain choked, which increases the chance of accidents. We have asked the officials to make arrangements,” said a GK-II RWA member.
Residents also demanded for reducing the width of footpaths on BRT stretch and increase the width of carriageway.
In January, the RWAs met PWD minister Satyendra Jain requesting a presentation about major projects in GK. During the meeting, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation officials also shared the site map of the GK Metro station with one of its entry/exit points at the sharp turn of GK-II, near Savitri Cinema, Ring Road. The residents can reach the metro station constructed on other side of Ring Road using a tunnel.
“For going downstairs, the DMRC has provided stairs and elevators. But residents demanded that the DMRC must occupy the portion of land at Savitri Complex and use it for installing escalators as well,” said Suchita Meena, a resident of Alaknanda.
Bhardwaj said that the Savitri Cinema’s land belongs to a private company.