New Delhi: The Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC) board has approved proposals to bring all roads in Old Delhi and the Walled City area under PWD at its 39th meeting held recently.
Sanjav Bhargava, president of Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapaar Mandal, said while the initiatives are welcome, it is important that the current infrastructure on the 1.3-km redeveloped road should be brought into order first. The proposal was placed before the board in Dec 2019, following which Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) was approached to provide an expression of interest for a feasibility study on public transportation in Shahjahanabad. Because of its technological advantages and implementation feasibility,” said the report, the possibility was explored.
PWD has also been directed to identify and fast-track projects, avoid overlapping of work and coordinate with the power department on the undergrounding of utilities,” the minutes of the meeting said. “It was decided that PWD will consult the railways and other stakeholders, with support from the district administration, to incorporate HC Sen Marg and Town Hall Road into the project scope,” the meeting minutes said. “There is complete chaos here with massive encroachment on both sides and illegal rickshaws hindering the movement of pedestrians,” he said.
The board, for which chief minister Rekha Gupta is the chairman, also issued directions to DMRC to explore a trackless tram system to ease congestion and improve connectivity and prepare comprehensive transportation and parking management plans for Shahjahanabad. “PWD has been directed to start the process of transferring jurisdiction of all roads. The improvement plans will cover utilities, public toilets, parking facilities, cycle lanes, footpaths, project timelines and budgets. At previous meetings, it was proposed that PWD may include HC Sen Marg and Town Hall Road in the improvement projects for Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Marg. The board also approved a proposal to ask DMRC to conduct a feasibility study for a mass rapid transit system in Old Delhi, such as a trackless tram. “The board was informed that studies on introducing a tram system… had already been done. The board has asked SRDC to approach DMRC for the study and the vice-chairman, also urban development minister in GNCTD Ashish Sood, asked for exploring other capable institutions also, including international companies that could expedite the design and implementation of a trackless tram or another cost-effective mass transit system.