The Hindu : Another bridge to East Delhi finally gets L-G's nod

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 13, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Another bridge to East Delhi finally gets L-G's nod

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JAN.12 . The confrontation between the Delhi Government and the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi, Vijai Kapoor, over the construction of a third gateway to East Delhi came to an end today with the Lieutenant-Governor giving the green signal for resuming work on the Rs. 130-crore bridge between Geeta Colony and Shanti Van linking Ring Road. The approval is subject to the condition that another traffic survey would be conducted to assess the situation.

The issue came up for discussion at the meeting of the Delhi Cabinet chaired by the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit. The decision by Mr. Kapoor, asking the Public Works Department (PWD) to put the project on hold and send it for review by the Delhi Development Authority (Technical Committee), came up before the Cabinet. It is learnt that the PWD Minister, A.K. Walia, informed the Council of Ministers that all the clearances had been sought before taking up the project. The Chief Minister had laid the foundation stone of the project in September this year and it was inappropriate to hold up such a prestigious project for some strange reason.

In fact, the Cabinet is understood to have termed the decision of Mr. Kapoor to summon PWD officials and give them directions without the knowledge of the concerned Minister as interference in the day- to- day functioning of the duly- elected Government. It was decided that Dr. Walia should be deputed to hold talks with Mr. Kapoor and seek a clarification on the issue before any further action is initiated.

Later in the evening, Dr. Walia met Mr.Kapoor and discussed the issue of the bridge from Geeta Colony to Shanti Van. It is understood that Dr. Walia conveyed to Mr. Kapoor that the Delhi Government was not in a mood for any kind of confrontation and it had done nothing wrong in taking up the project.

All the formalities were completed and after the green signal from the concerned authorities, it was decided to implement this scheme. However, Mr. Kapoor reportedly told Dr. Walia that he had not held back the project and only ordered that the impact of the traffic situation should be taken into account. Dr. Walia pointed out that PWD had brought to a halt the entire tendering and award of contract process. Sensing that the issue might assume political overtones, the Lieutenant-Governor is understood to have conveyed to Dr. Walia that the Government could go ahead with the project. However, he asked the Minister to get a traffic impact survey conducted once again.

In another decision, the Lieutenant-Governor also gave his go ahead for construction of the Wazirabad bridge that has been pending for the past four years. The Rs. 140- crore project had witnessed intense discussion in the Delhi Assembly. It is also learnt that Mr. Kapoor agreed in principal for increasing the height of the Wazirabad barrage but only after taking into account the point of view of all the concerned including the Haryana Government.

The IIT Delhi had conducted a study in this regard and recommended an increase in the height. It is learnt that Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, would be meeting Mr. Kapoor to discuss this subject.

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