Signature Bridge to be delayed again
WORK STOPS Construction stops owing to fund crunch. Officials say if ₹231 crore is not released soon, the cable bridge will be further delayed by threefour months
NEWDELHI: Construction work on the Signature Bridge has stopped due to fund crunch, said a senior official of Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation (DTTDC) — the agency responsible for executing the project.
One of the most delayed infrastructure projects in Delhi, the asymmetrical wire bridge coming over the Yamuna is expected to reduce the travel time between north Delhi and north-east Delhi and Ghaziabad.
According to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, if funds are not released soon, it may delay the project further by at least three to four months.
The project was conceptualised in 2004 and was approved by the Delhi cabinet in 2007. It was scheduled to be completed before the 2010 Commonwealth Games but the deadline was revised to 2013 and was further extended to June 2016 then to July 2017. In July 2017, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had released ₹ 100 crore for the bridge and set a deadline of March 2018, but it was rescheduled for June 2018.
“The construction of pylon (a tower used to support an overhead power line) on the bridge was in progress but it has stopped a few days ago because funds were not released. Engineers of the company engaged in the cable work have gone back. The company will resume work when payment is made,” a senior official of the DTTDC said requesting anonymity.
Constant delays have escalated the cost of the project. Initially, the estimated cost was of the project was ₹887 crore, which rose to ₹1,131 crore in 2013. DTTDC in 2016 had sent a revised estimate of ₹1,575 crore to the government for approval.
The government had released ₹1,344 crore. But the public works department (PWD) had sought an expert opinion by CPWD on its demand for an additional ₹231 crore.
However, PWD officials on Monday said that the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has endorsed DTTDC’S additional estimate of ₹231 crore.
“Yes, we have received CPWD’S response, but I have not seen it yet. Funds will be released if the reply is positive,” PWD engineer-in-chief, RK Agrawal, said.
The DTTDC official added that if the funds were not released soon the project would get delayed further as construction activities would be stopped during monsoon.
He said even if CPWD has supported DTTDC’S revised estimate, it will be sent to the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) of the Delhi government and then it had to be cleared by the Cabinet.
“This process may take time. At least 120 working days are needed to complete the construction. This implies that if the funds are cleared in May the work will not be completed before the end of September,” he said.
Earlier this month, the Delhi High Court had rapped the government for constant delays and ordered it to come up with a final deadline.
The Signature Bridge will reduce the travel time by at least half an hour for commuters going to Ghaziabad via Khajuri Khas, from Wazirabad, Timarpur, Mukherjee Nagar and Burari.