Three new foot overbridges will be built along the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, or NH-709B, in East Delhi to provide safer crossings for pedestrians, with lifts planned at two locations and a total estimated construction cost of Rs 12.8 crore.
The two foot overbridges that have been formally launched will come up near Geeta Colony and Gandhi Nagar, and at Ramesh Park in Laxmi Nagar. Delhi BJP president and Union minister of state Harsh Malhotra laid the foundation stones for these two facilities on Wednesday, according to the report.
The proposed crossings are intended to help pedestrians move across sections of the expressway where traffic movement can make surface-level crossing difficult. The Geeta Colony-Gandhi Nagar facility is expected to serve local residents as well as people travelling to Gandhi Nagar, while the Ramesh Park foot overbridge will support pedestrian movement in the Laxmi Nagar area.
A third foot overbridge has also been approved near Bhajanpura-Garhi Mendu. It will be constructed close to kilometre 10+800 of NH-709B. With this addition, three pedestrian crossings are planned along different sections of the Delhi portion of the expressway.
The report puts the combined estimated cost of the three foot overbridges at Rs 12.8 crore. Two of the structures will include lifts, although the locations of those lift-equipped facilities were not specified in the report.
Malhotra said the new foot overbridges would benefit residents and people visiting Gandhi Nagar. The facilities are being planned as part of efforts to improve pedestrian safety and access along the expressway corridor.
The development is also linked to a wider plan for using the space beneath the elevated section of the expressway. According to media statements cited in the report, parking has already been started under the elevated road. Plans are also being worked on to improve the appearance and use of the Delhi section of NH-709B.
The proposed facilities beneath the elevated corridor include parking, electric vehicle charging stations, toilets and other public amenities. The report does not specify the capacity, operating arrangements or completion timeline for these facilities.
Solar panels are also being installed on the elevated corridor in the Delhi section. The electricity generated is intended for highway-related requirements, while the project has been described as an effort to reduce dependence on conventional energy sources and promote renewable energy.
The next steps involve constructing the two foot overbridges whose foundation stones have been laid and taking forward the approved facility near Bhajanpura-Garhi Mendu. The report does not provide separate construction deadlines for the three pedestrian crossings.
