Over ₹1,525 crore was spent in the last two years by the Delhi government on repairing roads in the Capital, the Public Works Department (PWD) said while responding to a query in the Delhi Legislative Assembly last week.
The department stated that an amount of ₹873.79 crore had been allotted for repairing roads and carpeting in the financial year 2020-21, of which ₹539.99 crore was spent. Similarly, ₹1,041.38 crore was allotted for the purpose during 2021-22, of which ₹985.96 crore was spent, it added.
Last month, the Delhi government approved and estimated sanctions for streetscaping at four sample stretches, which included Aurobindo Marg, Lodhi Road, Nelson Mandela Road and the stretch from Jagatpuri to Karkardooma.
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As part of its ongoing streetscaping project, the Delhi government aims to decongest, redesign and beautify 540 kilometres of roads across the city. PWD officials are of the view that the redesigning of roads will eliminate bottlenecks and improve the aesthetics of road stretches.
These roads, according to the PWD, will also be made pedestrian and cyclist-friendly with dedicated cycle tracks and wide footpaths for such road users. The initiative also seeks to eliminate bottlenecks, especially at locations where a four-lane road, for instance, turns into a three-lane one or a six-lane road to a four-lane one, causing severe traffic congestion.
The government said the redesigning of such roads will seek to lend uniformity in width, therefore resolving the issue of congestion due to engineering lacunae, and simultaneously creating pavement space for non-motor vehicles.
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