The dug up roads are getting covered up, some projects are being stopped for the time being to be taken up again after the Commonwealth Games and a couple of projects have been done away with, although facade restoration of Connaught Place is on time.
But could the current messy picture that Connaught Place generates as of now with a little more than 40 days for the Commonwealth Games have been avoided by planning these projects better and starting early? The New Delhi Municipal Council, which has taken up these projects in the British-era business district, feels that there was nothing wrong with planning and hurdles in such projects were virtually unavoidable because the agency is working in a “live environment”.
Talking to this newspaper, NDMC member Mukesh Bhatt said that there were two or three main reasons for the delay that is evident now.
“Resistance from traders to the project for laying duct in the middle circle, delay on the part of the EIL to sublet the contracts further and a couple of other reasons led to slow progress of work. However, we are working hard to ensure that CP becomes accessible in time for the Games. The deadline is August 31. At worst, it should be over by the first week of September,” said Mr Bhatt.
NDMC spokesperson Anand Tiwari said that there were three major projects taken up by the council in CP, which included facade restoration (on time), duct laying (tunnel has been laid, utilities to be shifted after Games) and new subways (where there have been hurdles on account of sewerage line being discovered).
“We are working in a live environment. It is true that Games are around the corner but these problems would have been encountered even if there were no Games,” said Mr Tiwari when asked if the planning could have been more fine-tuned. He, however, said that the work began around mid-2009 on these projects, which take nearly two years.
Incidentally, the idea for the middle circle duct was announced for the first time in early 2009 but the work began only this year.