Gurgaon: Work on the widening of the roads connecting Shyam Chowk to Old Delhi Road and Anath Road has not even started, over two years after it began. Work on the widening of Shankar Road, which also started in 2018, is only 50% complete.
This was revealed in a response by the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) to an RTI filed by city-based industrialist Aseem Takkyar over the status of the projects.
Speaking about the reasons for the delay, GMDA said they are awaiting shifting of 11kV power lines by discom DHBVN, as well as approval from the forest department to fell trees for widening Shankar Road. Similarly, shifting of utilities and approvals from the forest department have held up the widening and improvement work on the other two roads as well.
The project for the widening of Shankar Road, which links Shankar Chowk to Old Delhi Road, had been first proposed in the summer of 2018. In the same year in November, GMDA had begun the tendering process with a deadline of six months for completion. The project, however, is almost a year behind schedule. While GMDA is spending Rs 7 crore on widening Shankar Road, Rs 20 crore will be spent on the redevelopment of Shyam Road and another Rs 8 crore on Anath Road.
Officials said all three roads will be three-way lanes with a width of 9.9 metres on both sides of the central verge, along with footpaths and cycling tracks on both sides. The width of the cycling tracks/footpaths will be 2.5 metres. “There are a lot of labourers employed in these areas who walk or cycle to work. Hence, there will be a special emphasis on footpaths and cycling tracks to ensure their safety,” a GMDA official said.