Updated: December 19, 2021 12:20:25 pm
The PWD asked its staff to remove vegetation growing on footpaths, repair paver blocks and kerbstones on the footpaths and immediately fix broken and tilted grills on the central verge of the roads. (Express File/Representative Image) After witnessing the poor condition and upkeep of footpaths, walkways and manholes across the city, Delhi’s Public Works Department (PWD) has issued guidelines to its engineering staff for their maintenance. Making footpaths walkable should be done on priority, the department told the staff.
In the standard operating procedure (SOP), a copy of which is with The Indian Express, the PWD said: “In existing footpaths, it has been observed that at several places, paver blocks have settled, manhole covers are not placed properly, paver blocks are missing in patches, kerb stones at few places and malba lying on footpaths and vegetation are growing at some places. It is suggested that the total length of footpath in the division be distributed among all the field staff and these officers should own that much of the footpath and personally ensure that improvements are implemented from one end to another.”
The PWD asked its staff to remove vegetation growing on footpaths, repair paver blocks and kerbstones, and immediately fix broken and tilted grills on the central verge of the roads.
The department also observed that the central verge is closed across zebra crossing, due to which pedestrians are unable to cross the road along it. “All the existing footpaths should be improved using available materials and required labour should be deployed to ensure that settled paver blocks are set right, manhole covers are properly placed and levelled with adjoining paver blocks surface and the joints of pavers blocks are properly filled with specified sand,” said the department.
Besides directing the staff to provide better facilities for road-crossing with proper zebra lines along the central verge of the roads, the PWD said: “At all such locations where the central verge is closed across the zebra crossing, opening should be provided for smooth crossing by pedestrians. If required, locations of zebra crossing may also be altered in consultation with the traffic police. It should also be ensured that traffic signal light for pedestrian crossing is visible from the location of the zebra crossing.”
Further, the department directed the engineering staff to fast-track the horticulture work at all locations and maintain all the road and other signage properly. “The plants in the central verge should be selected wisely to ensure that its branches do not protrude on the main carriageway. All signage should be maintained properly and its visibility should be ensured. At some places, tree branches have been found covering the signage which should be pruned regularly,” reads the SOP.
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