Amid Covid surge, Delhi govt cuts budgets for various PWD projects

The Delhi government has curtailed budget allocations for various PWD construction projects for 2021-22 to strengthen medical and healthcare facilities amid the ongoing Covid pandemic, according to officials.

The Public Works Department's director (works) also issued instructions in this regard after receiving a communication from the joint secretary (budget) on January 10.

Due to the ongoing third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Delhi government's primary focus is to strengthen medical and healthcare facilities. Hence, the funding for a number of construction projects has been cut, the officials said on Thursday.

The revised budget allocation order issued by the PWD also asked officials to "strictly observe" economy instructions issued by the Finance Department of the Delhi government.

"The expenditure during the current financial year should not exceed the revised estimates (for) 2021-22. In case of an additional expenditure, which cannot be further postponed, the concerned zones may send proposal for re-appropriation of funds by providing matching savings," the order stated.

Some of the projects for which funds have been curtailed are Barapullah Phase-3 elevated corridor; construction of New Bypass road parallel to the Ring Road from Wazirabad to DND; flyover at Majnu Ka Tila-Metcalf House crossing on Outer Ring Road; widening of bridges on NH-10 at Tri Nagar, Inderlok, Karampura; and integrated transit corridor development and street network between Punjabi Bagh flyover and Raja Garden flyover.

According to the revised allocation, the budget estimate for the Barapullah Phase-3 project has been halved from Rs 150 crore to Rs 75 crore.

The budget for the construction of a flyover and elevated road at Karawal Nagar, Ghonda and Brijpuri junction on Mangal Pandey Marg in northeast Delhi has been cut down from Rs 100 crore to Rs 50 crore.

As against an earlier allocation of Rs 20 crore for the construction of a New Bypass road parallel to the Ring Road from Wazirabad to DND, the revised budget is only Rs 1 crore.

The budget for repair, rehabilitation and maintenance of bridges and flyovers has also been reduced to Rs 15 crore from Rs 30 crore.

The government has also curtailed the budget for the construction of foot overbridges from Rs 50 crore to Rs 40 crore.

Budget estimates for some crucial projects, like the extension of the Ashram flyover up to DND, have been increased. The revised budget for the project is Rs 80 crore, up from the earlier allocation of Rs 50 crore.