While deciding to take over 30 metres and above roads from Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) due to its poor maintenance, the Delhi Government has conveniently forgotten the shabby condition of roads under PWD jurisdiction. In a bid to clip wings of BJP-ruled MCD, the Delhi Government is bringing a cabinet note to take over 30 meters and above roads from it.

The note is likely to be tabled before the next cabinet meeting. MCD has 27,000 kilometres of road under its jurisdiction. Out of these, 256 roads having road length of 584.32 kilometres have right of width 80 feet and above.

Criticising the Delhi Government’s move to take over MCD roads, former Delhi BJP president Dr Harshvardhan said that roads under PWD are also in a bad condition and there has been no repair work and maintenance of these roads for the last one year. “First, this Government should improve its own roads, then it should consider such move,” he said.

The Urban Development in its note cited poor state of roads, saying the condition of municipal roads all over Delhi has become pathetic and a lot of concern has been raised by the residents’ welfare associations as well as the public

representatives. “Delhi Police Commissioner BK Gupta has brought to the notice of the Government whereas they have been making efforts to improve the traffic situation in the city, but the bad condition of roads of a large number of roads is causing hindrance in the normal flow of traffic with possibility of accidents,” the note said.

Delhi Police had earlier submitted a list of bad roads to the Delhi Government and most of the roads were under PWD jurisdiction. For instance, Vikas Marg from Laxmi Nagar T point to Madhuban Chowk, Mather Dairy  under pass road, Seelampur flyover towards Welcome on GT road, road no 66 near Zafrabad, Shahdara under flyover both carriageway on GT road, Eastern Marginal Pusta Road, TR Swamy road to Ashok Nagar on Wazirabad road, Gokulpuri flyover to DTC depot Nand Nagri, Durgapuri Chowk road on Loni road, Khajoori road to Sadatpur, Mehrauli-Mahipal road from Mahipuri Chowk to Andheria Mor, Pankha road, Ring Road-DND-Sarai Kale Khan to Barapullah road, Paras flyover to Modi Mill, CV Raman Marg-Ring Road to Sarai Julena, Chirag Dilli to Paras flyover, Sainik Farms gate 2 to IGNOU Cut, Aurobindo Marg-IIT to ITS Malviya Nagar, Press Enclave road-Malviya Nagar metro station to Saheed Bhagat Singh collage road, Ber Sarai flyover, outer Ring Road, Ring Road under Hyatt flyover, Sadar Bazar, Nelson Mandela marg and ring road on Raja Garden flyover are under the jurisdiction of PWD.

According to the note, the Group of Ministers headed by PWD Miniser Raj Kumar Chauhan had also recommended that roads belonging to MCD having width of 30 metres and above in rural and urban areas both be taken from the MCD and the PWD should be assigned the work of maintenance and development of these roads. Transport Department had also supported the takeover of roads, stating they have had to withdraw low-floor buses from routes in rural areas because potholed roads were causing serious damage to the vehicles.