Delhi to adopt Bangalore model in laying of roads

New Delhi, Aug 6 (UNI) Aiming to give a smooth ride to visitors during the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Delhi Government is promoting the use of a mixture of shredded plastic waste and bitumen in road laying works in the capital.

While pointing out that the technology enhances the quality of roads and makes it maintenance free for longer periods of time, Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) Managing Director Jalaj Shrivastava said that overcoming all hurdles, the government would soon be able to introduce it in the capital.

''They have done it successfully in Bangalore with the help of their municipal body. Due to the multiplicity of authorities in Delhi, we are facing some hurdles. However, an expression of interest has been issues and parties shorlisted. We would be able to do it in a short time span,'' he said in an interview.

''If we start building the plastic roads now, it will last at least till the Commonwealth Games and beyond. The best part is that water does not stay on the roads and even if the initial costs are high, in the long run it helps cut the cost''.

Mr Shrivastava said the Government was planning building of 8 facilitation gates at the entry points into the city. Initially, the DSIIDC would work on only three entry points, he, however, added.

''The facilities to be provided here include the trade and tax department, toll collection booths, petrol pumps, food courts, and tourism kiosk, weigh bridges etc. This would be a sort of facilitation center and would be made on BOT basis''.

On the proposed Special Economic Zone in Delhi for the apparel, gems and jewellery trade, he said Delhi had ''tremendous potential'' for such trade. A pre-feasibility study done on the issue revealed that gems and jewellery trade was going on in Delhi, but from godowns and garages.

''We want to bring them in the SEZ. We aim to attract international designers to Delhi and India with this concept. Except the Mumbai-Surat belt which now extends upto Jaipur, we have no major hub of gems and jewellery.

''Artists of Delhi can produce world-class designs. We have to provide institutional support to them. Our SEZ would be spread in an area of around 150 to 200 acres and we are looking at volumes of around Rs 10 thousand crores.

''For the preliminaries, we already have a pool of 1000-1200 artists trained in our institutes in gems and jewellery designing''.

Mr Shrivastava said work on the project would begin as soon as the DSIIDC got land from the authorities concerned.

The DSIIDC would also be building freight complexes in Delhi soon, he said. ''We had won the bidding from the DDA in an open competitive bidding process. We would be taking up the work of the freight complex of Dwarka first. The proposal is now with the Technical Committee of the DDA''.

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