New Delhi: As the AAP-led government in Delhi completed two years of its second consecutive term that it won in landslide majority, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday that his government had been able to make great strides in providing basic services to citizens (like free power, water, better schools, healthcare) largely because it saved nearly Rs 550 crore on infrastructure projects since 2015, a majority of which were finished in record time as well.
A statement from the CMO said that since 2015, the Delhi government had built 34 foot-over bridges (with 13 more in the pipeline) and 27 flyovers (with seven more under construction) — for which estimates showed an expenditure of around Rs 2,269 crore but were made possible with Rs 1,721 crore — saving around Rs 548 crore, which were put to use for bettering citizen services.
CM Kejriwal said that corruption was prevalent in all aspects of government work when opposition parties led the Delhi government due to which even low-cost projects became prohibitively expensive. "Since taking over the reins of Delhi, we have completed all ongoing projects ahead of schedule and saved the public crores," he said.
The cost of constructing the Madhuban Chowk-Mukarba Chowk corridor was estimated at Rs 422 crore. It was finished ahead of schedule at a cost of Rs 297 crore. Similarly, the government said it saved around Rs 100 crore on the Mangolpuri-Madhuban Chowk flyover, and another Rs 100 crore on the Vikaspuri-Mira Bagh flyover.
The government in a statement listed that it had built a corridor from Prembari Pul to Azadpur — estimated to cost Rs 247 crore — at Rs 137 crore and that it had saved another Rs 53 crore on flyovers built in East Delhi's Shastri Park and Seelampur areas.
"The Delhi government has accomplished much in education, health, and other areas, and our work speaks for itself. The AAP government not only worked on major infrastructure projects but also built roads and sewage lines for the general public's benefit," the CM said.