News: 70% work done, but revamp of Huda City Centre set to miss Oct deadline-11-09-2021
Gurgaon: The project to revamp the Huda City Centre junction is likely to miss its latest October 31 deadline as officials of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) said that around 30% of the work is yet to be completed.
Started in July 2019, the project was initially expected to be completed in 12 months. It involves the construction of a 705-metre-long unidirectional underpass meant for commuters travelling from the direction of Signature Tower towards Subhash Chowk, and a 269.5-metre-long bidirectional flyover between MF Husain Marg and the Sector road. Two foot overbridges, equipped with escalators, lifts, and stairs, will also be set up as part of the project — one on the road towards Signature Tower, and another on the road towards IFFCO Chowk road. The project is expected to cost Rs 43.07 crore.
“The deadline is October 31, but there is an issue. There is a 66 kV electric tower in the path of one of the foot overbridges, because of which there is some delay. The construction of the other structures is under way, but it seems that it will take another three months. We are trying to wind up the work as quickly as possible,” said Jaspal Singh, chief engineer (infrastructure-I), GMDA.
Another GMDA official, who did not want to be named, said the delays in the project have been due to “many reasons”, including the monsoon and the pandemic, as well as some “hindrances”, such as a water supply line that had to be shifted.
“At present, the electric tower in the way of one of the foot overbridges is the only hindrance. We have requested the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) for shifting this as well. The matter is under process,” said the official.
“Around 70% of the work on the project has been done. We expect it will be completed by November or December,” the official added.
This is the third deadline set this year that the revamp project is going to miss. Earlier, a deadline of March had been set for the project, which was later changed to June, and subsequently to October.
The HUDA City Centre is a critical junction in the city since it serves as the point where traffic moving from the direction of Netaji Subhash Marg converges with that from the Mehrauli Gurgaon road. It is also the point where the final metro station on the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s (DMRC) yellow line is located, leading to heavy traffic as well as high pedestrian footfall in the area.
