Delhi govt to redesign roads to make them more ‘European’-looking
The Delhi government has announced, via an official statement, that they will redesign 500 kms of 100-foot-wide roads in the national capital on the lines of those in European cities
Delhi roads are gearing up for a makeover and this time the goals seems to be reaching the European standards. The Delhi government has announced, via an official statement, that they will redesign 500 kms of 100-foot-wide roads in the national capital on the lines of those in European cities.
According to a report by PTI, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a review meeting of the Public Works Department (PWD) regarding redesigning of seven roads in Delhi. He has asked the PWD for a detailed plan in three weeks
"During the meeting, the chief minister directed that all 100-foot-wide roads of Delhi, total 500 km, will be completely redesigned as per international standards and along the lines of the newly redesigned Chandni Chowk's main road," the statement said.
"Delhi is the capital of the country. Through this project, it is our dream that Delhi looks like other global capital cities. This will present a better image of India in the world," the chief minister said.
The government claims that since many international visitors visit the capital, changing the layout and beautifying the roads will help portray a better image of the country. "We will also increase the greenery beside these roads which will help us to combat pollution," Kejriwal said.
The roads will be redesigned on Build–Operate–Transfer (BOT) model and the construction company will have the responsibility to maintain the roads for 15 years, the statement said.
The deadline of redesigning the first seven roads was December 2019 but it was extended till August 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, it said.
The government claimed that the city faces multiple traffic problems due to bottlenecks. Wide roads ofter converge into narrow lanes leading to a lot of traffic. The priority will be to remove the bottlenecks first for a smooth flow of traffic and an organised lane system, the statement said.
The next goal would be to increase the efficiency of the existing space of the roads in the city. There will be measured and planned spaces for vehicles, non-motorised vehicles, footpaths, and side-lanes. The footpaths will be widely mapped to an average of 10 feet for the convenience of pedestrians, it said.
The statement also claimed that no surface will be left unpaved for dust control. In order to ensure that there is no dust on the roads, grass and shrubs will be planted, the statement said.
Next, footpaths will be redesigned and reconstructed as per a standard height for the convenience of the physically handicapped. The roads will also have separate spaces for tree plantation and parking of e-vehicles and autos, and a cycle lane. The slope of the roads, as well as the drains, will be redesigned to tackle the problem of waterlogging. Rainwater harvesting structures will be built inside the drainage systems, it said. Different types of designs will be displayed on the walls by the road, it added.
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