Delhi Seeks ₹950 Cr To Repair And Resurface City Roads
Delhi’s deteriorating roads, the city administration has requested ₹950 crore from the Centre under the Central Road Fund scheme in a push to improve. The plan covers strengthening and resurfacing 415 km of arterial roads. With potholes, wear, and outdated footpaths affecting commute safety, the proposal aims to streamline future maintenance and bring long-needed upgrades to the capital’s road network.
Authorities say the funding will support the resurfacing of critical stretches under the Public Works Department’s jurisdiction. Roads listed include parts of Ring Road, Outer Ring Road, and major corridors like Mehrauli-Badarpur and Africa Avenue. Some sections have not been repaired for years, with broken patches and potholes making commuting difficult. Officials believe timely intervention will reduce future costs and make daily travel safer and more efficient.
The plan proposes an integrated repair approach—combining roads, footpaths, and drains into a single tender. Earlier, fragmented repairs led to delays and poor coordination, with different contractors handling each element. The new approach will place overall responsibility on one contractor, ensuring simultaneous upgrades and routine maintenance for 3–5 years. This, officials claim, will minimise repeated digging and disruption while improving infrastructure durability.
The Public Works Department has identified roads requiring urgent work and submitted a detailed proposal to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Each road segment is mapped with its last repair date and the current condition. Experts say central support is vital, especially as the city expands and traffic loads increase. Better road surfaces, wider shoulders, and improved drainage will help manage peak-hour congestion and monsoon damage.
While some sections listed are just a few hundred metres long, others span 2–5 kilometres. Collectively, these form the city’s arterial framework, connecting residential hubs with commercial and industrial zones. Strengthening them could significantly boost Delhi’s mobility and logistics efficiency. The proposal also reflects the growing need for urban infrastructure resilience, especially in a city prone to traffic bottlenecks and waterlogging during heavy rains.
Delhi’s appeal for ₹950 crore under the Central Road Fund signals a strategic shift in how the city approaches road maintenance and urban infrastructure. With a focus on integrated upgrades and long-term maintenance, the capital’s authorities aim to make commuting smoother and safer. If approved, this project could serve as a model for other urban centres facing similar road infrastructure challenges.
