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Signature Bridge deal scrapped

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Cabinet on Saturday decided to scrap the deal for construction of the Signature Bridge over the Yamuna at Wazirabad in North East Delhi since the company that had been given the contract was now demanding nearly twice the amount for carrying out construction on the “landmark project.”

During the meeting, Delhi Ministers A.K. Walia, Haroon Yusuf and Arvinder Singh Lovely insisted that a fresh tender be issued for the contract so that the deal remains transparent and no fingers are pointed at a later stage. While the issue had been taken up for discussion at a previous meeting also, it had remained inconclusive then. But seeing the rigid stance of the three Ministers, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Saturday decided to scrap the deal.

Sources said as the three Ministers made their stance very clear and it was also pointed out that at a higher rate, better and bigger companies would be willing to bid for the tender, the Delhi Cabinet decided to scrap the deal. “Already the project is late by about three months and floating of a new tender would delay it by another three months at the most. But then at the end of it, we will have a bridge without controversy written on it,” said a Minister.

Incidentally, the Delhi Cabinet had first approved of this bridge in February 2006 and it was expected to cost Rs.464 crorethen. Proposed down stream of the existing bridge-cum-barrage at Wazirabad, it was to connect NH-1 (Road No.50) on western bank and Wazirabad Road (Road No.59) on the eastern bank of the Yamuna.

The 575-metre Signature Bridge was to be the first of its kind in Delhi with a nearly 175-metre-high bow-shaped pylon with cable stays on one side and back stays on the other. It was expected to be completed in 42 months ahead of the Commonwealth Games, but is now likely to reach completion only after the event is over.

The project was recently approved by the Central Vigilance Commission to which it had been referred by the Delhi Cabinet in July this year after the cost had escalated to nearly Rs.850 crore. The Managing Director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation E. Sreedharan, whose opinion had also been sought on the subject, had stated that in this kind of a project, the Government should be willing to pay for the quality it desires. Incidentally, the bridge was to be built with imported steel and was to have a restaurant and lifts among other facilities.

While Delhi Urban Arts Commission consultant Charles Correa had also approved of the final design and the Engineer-in-Chief of PWD, R. Subramanian had reworked the new cost to be nearly Rs.993 crore, the Delhi Cabinet finally decided to go in for a fresh tender to have world-class companies bid for the contract in an atmosphere of clarity.

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