ITO skywalk may be ready by Oct
NEWDELHI: A skywalk under construction around the busy ITO crossing in central Delhi is likely to be ready for use by Septemberend or early October, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said on Saturday.
Sisodia said the skywalk would be a “beautiful infrastructure” and benefit at least 30,000 pedestrians who cross one of Delhi’s busiest intersections every day. Around 25 major office complexes, two Metro stations, seven major arterial roads and the Tilak Bridge Railway Station are located in and around ITO.
Sisodia and public works department (PWD) minister Satyendar Jain inspected the site on Saturday.
“More than 75% work has been completed and by September end or the first week of October, it should be ready and thrown open for the public. This, along with the Signature Bridge slated to open in October, would be two new gifts for the people of Delhi before Diwali,” Sisodia told reporters.
The deputy CM said besides decongesting the intersection, the skywalk would give an aes- thetic look to the area.
“From the metro stations (Pragati Maidan and ITO) here, people would be able to go directly to nearby locations such as ITO, Tilak Marg and Supreme Court without the need to step out on to the road,” he said.
Sisodia took to Twitter to showcase photographs and status of the skywalk. He tweeted, “Also, skywalk is going to be a ‘pride place to visit’ for every Delhi citizen. Above the hustle bustle of ITO, it truly feels like walking in the sky.”
The skywalk will facilitate the smooth movement of pedestrians and connect Sikandara Road, Tilak Marg, Mathura Road and Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg at the W-point of the ITO crossing from the Pragati Maidan Metro station.
As part of the project, a pedestrian bridge will be constructed on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg near Hans Bhawan.
PWD minister Jain said the total cost of the project would around ₹54 crore. “The skywalk will be equipped with glass lifts, solar-powered utilities and CCTV cameras. It will be very userfriendly,” Jain said.
Construction of the 615-metre skywalk began in November last year and was scheduled to be completed in March. The deadline was later shifted to May and then June. Officials said the delay occurred due to complexities involved in the construction as the project site is at one of the busiest traffic intersections.