With the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) endorsing revised cost of project with an additional estimate of around Rs 231 crore, the construction of the much-awaited Signature Bridge on the Yamuna is expected to gather pace.
The Public Works Department (PWD) of Delhi Government had sought the CPWD's 'expert opinion' after the nodal construction agency Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) had submitted a revised estimate of Rs 1,575 crore.
The Delhi Government has already released Rs 1,344 crore for the project that has witnessed cost escalation several times since its construction started. The ambitious project has missed several deadlines owing to hordes of issues.
The official, who is privy to information related to the project, said out of the Rs 231 crore, the PWD has already given Rs 36 crore to the DTTDC, but it had not released the amount to the contractor in view of the PWD seeking the CPWD's "expert opinion".
last week, the Delhi High Court pulled up the PWD and the DTTDC for "quibbling over" the amount to be paid for construction of the "long overdue" Signature Bridge.
The court also gave them the last opportunity to ensure the project is completed without any increase in cost.
"The PWD had objected to the revised estimate of Rs 1,575 crore as submitted by the DTTDC to complete the construction work of Signature Bridge. "Thereafter, the PWD sought the expert opinion of the CPWD, which has now endorsed the revised estimate of the DTTDC to complete the project," a senior official said.
He said the issue of revised estimate of the bridge will be sent to the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) of the Delhi government and then, the cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, will take a final decision on it. Announced in 2004, the project received a nod from the Delhi cabinet in 2007 and it was initially expected to be completed at a modified estimate of Rs 1,131 crore before the Commonwealth Games, which were held here in October, 2010.
The bridge had obtained environmental clearance in 2011 and was set to be completed by December 2013.The date of completing project was pushed to June 2016 and then to July 2017, which was further pushed to December 2017.
Once completed, Signature Bridge will share the burden of vehicular traffic, currently being borne by the Wazirabad Bridge, used to commute to and from Delhi and Ghaziabad. The bridge will connect the Outer Ring Road on the western bank with the Wazirabad Road on the eastern side of the Yamuna.