New Delhi: The ambitious ITO skywalk project, estimated to cost Rs 44 crore, has finally got off the ground with the Delhi government’s Public Works Department starting construction work. The project has been set a 10-month deadline.
PWD has barricaded the W-point at ITO where the landings will be constructed. “At present, we have barricaded the site near the ASI office on Tilak Marg. We will soon start the digging work,” a senior PWD official said.
Though the plan to construct a skywalk was conceived in 2003, the project was finalised only in April 2016. After talking necessary approvals from UTTIPEC and Delhi Urban Arts Commission, PWD had floated tenders.
PWD has requested ASI for 200sqm of land on its premises on Tilak Marg, as one of the landings (entry/exit points) is proposed near it. “The space on the pavement is not sufficient for the construction of the landing. We had taken up the matter with ASI and will soon get the permission,” said an official.
The skywalk will be 570 metres long and help ease pedestrian movement along Mathura Road, Tilak Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and Sikandra Road. “Pedestrians will be able to cross the road without having to wade through heavy traffic. Metro users will benefit from this skywalk,” said the official.
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Commenting on the proposals, a DUAC official had then said that it had observed “design flaws” in other FoBs across the city. Citing an example, the official had said, “The FoB constructed in front of the police headquarters at ITO has major design flaws. On each side, there is an escalator that takes one up to the FoB. There also are ramps with very low steps that are extremely inconvenient for walking. To come down from the FoB, one has to use the ramp, which also faces only one direction."
