7 days ago
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
PWD to begin ₹29.5 lakh repair of road leading to Garden of Five Senses amid safety concerns
Commuters to Delhi's Garden of Five Senses will soon have a smoother and safer ride, as the Public Works Department (PWD) has floated a tender for the repair and maintenance of the damaged roundabout leading up to the popular park in Said-Ul-Azaib village, near Mehrauli. The twenty-acre park, inaugurated in February 2003, features the Khas Bagh, inspired by Mughal garden design, complete with water channels, flowering shrubs, and tree-lined paths. (HT Photo)
The ₹29,50,430 project was tendered on Saturday, with the PWD setting a two-month deadline for completion. The planned work includes road excavation, concrete laying and smoothing, replacement of existing pavement blocks with old PWD-provided ones, and installation of cement road barriers to segregate traffic lanes—a feature currently missing from the road.
The decision comes amid growing concerns over road safety. A spot check by HT found that all roads connecting to the roundabout are in poor condition, with multiple potholes, long-running cracks, and uneven surfaces, causing frequent jolts to vehicles and raising accident risks.
'There are no barriers separating lanes. Vehicles are often forced to brake suddenly due to potholes and cracks, leading to crashes,' said Brijesh, an ice cream vendor stationed near the park's main gate. 'This happened around 12 days ago, when an auto slowed down and was hit by a car from behind.'
Auto-rickshaw drivers echoed these concerns. 'The sudden jerks from potholes often cause the front axle to snap,' said one rickshaw driver, requesting anonymity. 'It happened 15 days ago when one of my workers was driving. The auto fell, injuring him.' He added that axle damage occurs two to three times a month, with repairs costing ₹1,200 each time.
Locals also highlighted poor maintenance of greenery, which obscures visibility. 'It's difficult to spot oncoming vehicles at turns, leading to accidents,' said a worker in the area, requesting not to be named.
Despite the hazards, the pavements remain unusable, either occupied by parked vehicles or buried under mud and construction debris. In many stretches, pavements are completely missing.
Brijesh welcomed the upcoming repairs. 'It should be fixed. It's a public facility. If it were fixed, then fewer accidents would occur,' he said.
The upgrade coincides with a planned revamp of the Garden of Five Senses by the Delhi Tourism Department, which has recently invited consultants to submit proposals. The twenty-acre park, inaugurated in February 2003, features the Khas Bagh, inspired by Mughal garden design, complete with water channels, flowering shrubs, and tree-lined paths.
