In Major Infra Boost, Delhi To Get 1,300 Hospital Beds, Better Roads
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The construction of new blocks in Acharya Shree Bhikshu Hospital at Moti Nagar, Dada Dev at Dabri Morh, Guru Gobind Singh Hospital and Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital at Mangolpuri was undertaken by the previous govt in 2019-2020 but could not be completed for lack of funds. In a meeting on Friday to review Public Works Department projects, minister Parvesh Verma informed chief minister Rekha Gupta that the work was in the final stages.
While estimates were being made for furniture, formalities related to fire certification were being processed.
The AAP govt took up the construction of 11 new hospitals, including seven with ICUs, and addition to new blocks in 13 existing health facilities in 2019-2020. These required more than Rs 10,250 crore for completion. While the BJP govt is exploring the possibility of building new hospitals on a public-private partnership mode, the old health facilities will be completed with its own funds.
During the meeting, PWD also discussed the challenges being faced in the construction of three court complexes, which started last year. While the construction began in April last year and should have been completed by early 2026, officials informed CM that technical reasons, including the delay in submission of structural and architectural drawings by the consultant and high water levels at the sites, hampered the progress.
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While the district court complex at Shastri Park in northeast Delhi and an additional court on a new plot in Karkardooma have both seen only 7% of physical progress, there has been only 3% construction of the district court complex at Rohini's Sector 26.
PWD also informed Gupta about the road strengthening work being undertaken across the city. While it has sought nearly Rs 953 crore from the central govt under the central road fund to be used for recarpeting over 400km of the road network across the city, another financial assistance of Rs 1,000 crore will come from the Centre under the Urban Development Fund for capital projects in the city.
PWD has decided to take up the construction of parallel flyovers at Modi Mill and Savitri Cinema intersections on Outer Ring Road, which will cost Rs 412 crore.
Officials revealed that the department would soon finalise the projects for the remaining fund of Rs 588 crore, which will come under the scheme.
Officials said Verma also informed CM about various other projects being undertaken by his department, including the installation of crash barriers from funds received under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment, construction of five priority hospitals and hiring of mechanical road sweepers integrated with anti-smog guns and dump vehicles.
Verma alleged that under the previous AAP govt, many projects were started recklessly and in many cases the scope of work was grossly altered ex-post facto without the approval of the competent authority. "Due to these unauthorised changes, sufficient funds could not be made available. This resulted in stoppage of these projects midway, causing large public funds to get stuck without yielding any dividend for the people," the minister said.
He added, "The present govt is tirelessly working to make these facilities available for people of Delhi. In the first stage, govt has already targeted completion of four such brownfield projects in a matter of just a few weeks."
Full support is being extended to PWD by Delhi govt in terms of sufficient funds and proper guidance, the minister claimed. The people of Delhi were going to benefit greatly from this fast-tracking of projects which is being keenly led and monitored by the central govt, he said.
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