Integrated structure with flyover, metro line on separate decks gets Delhi govt nod

Source: Reuters

The Delhi government on Tuesday approved the construction of an integrated structure having a flyover at the lower deck and a metro line at the upper deck between the proposed metro stations at Yamuna Vihar and Bhajanpura, according to an official statement. The decision was taken in a meeting of the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

According to the Delhi government, the first-of-its-kind joint effort of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and the Public Works Department (PWD) will save around Rs 180 crore on the project. "The (Arvind) Kejriwal government on Tuesday approved the construction of an integrated structure between the proposed metro stations at Yamuna Vihar and Bhajanpura of the Maujpur-Majlis Park Corridor. The Delhi MRTS Phase IV project was approved by sanctioning Rs 220.10 crore," a statement from the government read.

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Sisodia said the project will prove to be a game-changer in the development of Delhi. The project will have a 1.4-km-long and 20-metre-wide six-lane flyover covering two crossings — the Karawal Nagar intersection (Yamuna Vihar/Bhajanpura) and Ghonda Chowk junction (Brijpuri).

Sisodia said the project will be crucial in eliminating traffic logjams at these places and increasing the capacity of the existing road. "The cost of the flyover, including shifting of utilities, was Rs 359.70 but due to composite structure, the cost was reduced by about Rs 140 crore to Rs 220.10 crore. Similarly, the cost of the 1,457-metre metro line stretch was Rs 105 crore, which has been reduced to Rs 67 crore, saving about Rs 40 crore of the public money," the statement said.

Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio, said that this project will not only save the tax money of the public but the land in this densely populated area will also be used more efficiently. According to the statement, the deputy chief minister said this project will be complete within two years and the locals will save on their precious time and not have to deal with long traffic jams.

This integrated model of flyover and metro will prove to be better environmentally, Sisodia said. The EFC also approved the construction of new building blocks in Netaji Subhash University of Technology (NSUT) at Dwarka under phase IV worth Rs 230.61. Under the project six state-of-the-art buildings will be readied at a total cost of Rs 230.61 crore, the statement said.

"New blocks to be constructed in NSUT will increase 3,900 new seats in the university. It is the Kejriwal government's priority to provide better facilities to students, Sisodia said.