Three major projects to miss Aug 31 deadline

It seems the city will fail to meet the August 31 deadline, set by the chief minister herself, of completing the Commonwealth Games-related infrastructure projects. Senior Delhi government officials say, critical portion of work on at least three projects, the elevated road on the Barapullah drain,
streetscaping along roads leading to the venues and renovation of the Yamuna Sports Complex, is still pending. Officials say they may take at least 7-10 days after August 31 to finish these three crucial projects.

Sources say, work is still left on one carriageway of the elevated road on Barapullah Nullah which may take some time to complete. "The span on the railway tracks near Nizamuddin railway station is still incomplete. The PWD got the necessary approvals for the construction above the tracks a little late. While one carriageway will be complete by August 25, work on the other carriageway will go on till September first week," a senior Delhi government official said.

The four-km-long elevated road between Sarai Kale Khan and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main venue, is being built to provide uninterrupted traffic flow from the Games Village in east Delhi to the stadium. The project has missed its deadlines and has exceeded its budget.

PWD sources added that the streetscaping work would also take time to complete. Though the PWD has increased the number of men working on the project, officials say the project will still take time to finish.

After receiving flak from all quarters on the slow progress of infrastructure projects, Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit had set August 31 as the deadline to complete all construction works. In a review meeting in July-end, she had admitted that some projects might get delayed would be finished in September.