Rani Jhansi flyover misses yet another deadline
NEW DELHI: BJP-led North Delhi Municipal Corporation's much-delayed Rani Jhansi grade separator flyover missed ninth deadline, while Lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal had directed civic body to finish the project by August 15 at any cost. LG Baijal himself inspected the project six times and the official sought another 15 days.
It may be noted that the six-lane grade-separator was conceived 18 years ago to decongest the stretch between Pusha Road and ISBT Kashmere Gate. While The North Municipal Corporation had started Rani Jhansi grade Separator flyover in 2008 with a cost of Rs 122 crore, but the cost has now escalated to 825 crore in past eight years. The 1.8 kilometer long flyover, after completion, will connect Pusa Road, Upper ridge and Rohtak road through Filimistan Cinema, DCM Chowk, Azad market, Roshanara road and further extends to ISBT (kashmere Gate).
The Rani Jhansi Flyover grade separator project, for instance, ran into legal troubles soon after being initiated in 2008. The project which was supposed to be completed by September 2010 is still stuck in limbo. With officials saying that they battled several technical glitches and poor coordination among land agencies for acquisition of land from the railways caused delay in the project and cost escalating by 50 percent, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation is thinking of either realigning the project or at worst scrapping it. But now the last leg of work struck near Azad Market towards Filmistan, which was sped up after the standing committee approved, additional Rs 21 crore funds on June 28.
According to the civic official, now Rani Jhansi flyover has been finished and final touches are being given and opening for traffic was yet not decided. The Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) has been asked to review the work for final approval. Currently, beautification work on and below the flyover is being carried out.
However, no new deadline has been fixed yet. It is expected that after the pitripaksh period the flyover may be thrown open to public before Diwali, said the sources.
