The Hindu : New Delhi News : 200-acre recreation centre to come up on Yamuna bank

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 04, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

200-acre recreation centre to come up on Yamuna bank

Staff Reporter

Ministers visit Signature Bridge site at Wazirabad in East Delhi

NEW DELHI: Delhi Urban Development Minister A.K. Walia along with Education and Tourism Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely on Thursday announced that 200 acres along the Eastern Yamuna bank would be utilised for construction of a recreational centre, water sports and a tourism park adjoining the Signature Bridge site at Wazirabad in East Delhi.

The duo made this announcement after paying a visit to the Signature Bridge site and the Mehrauli Archaeological Park along with the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, Sanat Kaul, and other senior officials of Delhi Development Authority and Municipal Corporation of Delhi.While taking round of the Signature Bridge site on the Eastern Yamuna river bank, Dr. Walia directed DTTDC to take up development of 200 acres as an attractive recreation centre which would include a vast green belt, facilities for water sports activities, walkways and theme gardens. The entire complex would come up as an exciting tourist spot in North-East Delhi. Dr. Walia said the entire area would be developed at an estimated cost of Rs. 200 crores within a period of three years simultaneously along with construction of the world class Signature Bridge on river Yamuna. The designer bridge would stand on hanging cables with pylon with a revolving restaurant above it. The construction of the Signature Bridge is scheduled to commence next month. The entire project would cost Rs. 465 crores.

Dr. Walia further asked DTTDC to initiate immediate action for development of a modern recreation centre by appointing consultants and other executing staff. The centre would have a modern collapsible rubber weir on river Yamuna to facilitate recreational sports activities. It would also have ample space for social and community activities.

Dr. Walia and Mr. Lovely along with O.P. Jain of INTACH took a round of Mehrauli Archaeological Park where conservation of 80 monuments and historic remains belonging to various era of Delhi's history from the early settlements to the more recent British times is being undertaken by INTACH in collaboration with DDA, Delhi Tourism and ASI. The conservation is being done in various phases. Six phases have already been done covering 41 monuments and the seventh phase would cover the remaining monuments. The entire exercise would cost Rs. 1.50 crore.

Dr. Walia instructed the agencies concerned to expedite conservation exercise to develop the entire complex as one of the shining chapters of the Qutab World Heritage site. He expressed confidence that the entire complex would provide excellent opportunity to visitors to learn about the glorious past of the historical city of Delhi and enable them to enjoy a heritage walk in the area.

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