'PWD to complete redesigning sample stretches on EU standards by Sept end'

New Delhi: The Public Works Department is likely to complete the redesigning and beautification of sample stretches on "European standards" by September end, officials said on Thursday.

The Delhi government aims to "redesign and beautify" 500-km city roads on the lines of streets in European countries. The government had approved beautification of 16 sample stretches in November 2019.

Officials said on the lines of these sample stretches, 500-km of PWD roads will be beautified on "European standards".

Once the pilot stretches are fully redeveloped, the government will then decide which model to adopt for execution of road redesigning and beautification project, a PWD official said.

A PWD official said nearly 70 per cent work on the pilot stretches have been completed and the remaining is likely to be wrapped up by the end of September. "The work is going on in full swing and hopefully it is likely to get completed by September end. After the streetscaping work on the sample stretches is completed, the government will then review all these pilot stretches.

"After thoroughly reviewing these sample stretches, the government will chose one pilot model which will be replicated in beautification of all 500-km PWD roads," the official said.

Some of the 16 pilot stretches include Ring Road from Mayapuri to Moti Bagh Junction, Ring Road from AIIMS to Ashram, Vikas Marg-Laxmi Nagar Chungi to Karkari More, Narwana Road-Mother Dairy to Punch Mahal Niwas, Britannia Chowk to Outer Ring Road, West Enclave in Pitampura and Wazirpur Depot Crossing (NSP) to Rithala Metro Station.

They also include Shivdaspuri Marg and Patel Road (from Moti Nagar T-point to Pusa Road roundabout), Nelson Mandela Marg, 810 metre portion of Aurobindo Marg, 600 metre stretch of Lodhi Road, 800 metre part of Jagatputi-Karkardooma road, part of Rohtak Road (NH-10) near Tikri Border among others.

The official further said these redeveloped roads will have commuter and pedestrian-friendly amenities such as wide footpaths, cycle tracks and ramps. He said redesigning of roads will eliminate bottlenecks and improve aesthetics as encroachments will also be removed from these stretches.