Safdarjung airport offers parking for Games ceremonies

Delhiites interested in catching all the glittering live action of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium would now have the option of parking their cars at the nearby Safdarjung airport by simply flashing their entry ticket which would double up as parking token. Visitors can then proceed to the free shuttle service bus provided by the Delhi Transport Corporation there to get dropped at the venue and be ferried back to the parking after the event through a dedicated route directly connecting the airport to the stadium.

The new park-and-ride facility comprising temporary parking for 3,000 cars, 6,000 two-wheelers and 450 buses being built at Safdarjung airport by the New Delhi Municipal Council in consultation with the Airports Authority of India is almost complete according to the civic body officials barring last leg of arrangements and final touch-up work.

Temporary facility

According to an NDMC official, “This parking is being made mainly to facilitate Delhiites who are keen on catching the grand opening and closing ceremonies scheduled to be held at this stadium. The parking facilities would, however, be temporary and dismantled after the Games. For this reason we have used pre-cast concrete pavers to construct the parking which can be re-used by the DTC later at their bus depots.”

“We have completed building the parking but the last stage of work comprising installation of jersey barriers to separate the parking from the adjacent airport tarmac as a safety measure can only be taken up three weeks before the Games,” he added.

The project also includes improvement of existing roads and walkways around the airport besides construction of new roads in and around the airport area. Road-widening and resurfacing work has been carried out on Datta Ram Bhutani Marg, Nazaf Khan Road, airport service roads and the approach road between outer and inner gates of the airport.

The project also envisages chain link fencing of the parking area adjoining the main tarmac; horticulture works along the roads; provision of water, sewerage and electricity supply for the parking area; construction and improvement of gates in the parking area; provision of closed-circuit television cameras; and construction of temporary utility structures including public conveniences, public information centres, crew waiting area and security chambers.

The project received administrative approval of the NDMC in October 2009.

According to the civic body, work on the project began in December 2009 and has been completed at a cost of Rs.40 crore borne by the Delhi Government. The development of parking at Safdarjung airport is part of the “Transport Plan” for Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium complex prepared by the Special Adviser, CWG-2010, and was approved by governing body of Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure Planning and Engineering Centre chaired by Delhi's Lieutenant-Governor in March 2009.