The much awaited Signature Bridge across the Yamuna which is coming up at an estimated cost of Rs.1,131 crore will for the first time provide graphics on a bridge structure in the country. The word “Yamuna” will be emblazoned on it in Hindi.
Coming up at Wazirabad in North-East Delhi, the aesthetic bridge will have four lanes in each of the two carriageways. It will come up as an unsymmetrical-cable-stayed bridge that will have a main span of 251 metres and possess a steel tower rising to a height of 150 metres: to put matters in perspective, it will be more than twice the height of Qutub Minar.
Following a visit to the construction site, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said while the main bridge being constructed downstream and south of the existing Wazirabad bridge is scheduled to be completed in December 2013, the main flyover on its western approach would be thrown open to traffic later this month.
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Ms. Dikshit, who visited both the eastern and western sides of the bridge, said it would emerge as a landmark structure in the Capital. She called upon officials to ensure that there is no delay in the construction and warned that delays will not be tolerated in commissioning of the project as it was crucial for improving the flow of traffic between North Delhi and North-East Delhi across the Yamuna.
For the residents of North-East Delhi, it has been a real long wait for another bridge across the river as the project was announced by the Sheila Dikshit Government way back in 2004 and is expected to take nearly a decade to complete.
The bridge is being constructed under the overall supervision of the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation. It will connect the marginal bund road near Khazuri Khas intersection on the eastern side with Outer Ring Road on the western side.
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The project comprises the western approach main flyover, western approach loops, eastern approach main flyover, eastern approach embankment and main bridge.
Noting that people of North-East Delhi have for long waited for this structure to come up, the Chief Minister also told the officials of the construction company to monitor the progress on a daily basis to ensure its commissioning as per their contractual obligation.
While the right and left carriageways of the 1.4 km western approach main flyover will be opened to traffic later this month, the loops on western approach are likely to be opened in November this year.
The Chief Minister was told by engineers that between 65 and 90 per cent work on the loops has been completed.
As for dual carriageway eastern approach main flyover, which has a length of 683 metres, the Chief Minister was told that it would be commissioned by this December. About 70 per cent work on the carriageways of this flyover has been completed.
As far as work on the eastern approach embankment is concerned, it was noted that the main embankment, guide bund and launching apron were due to be completed by June 2013.