Delhi Cabinet approves extension of Metro Line-II to Gurgaon

New Delhi, Oct 3 (UNI) The Delhi Cabinet today gave approval for extension of Metro Line-II from Ambedkar Colony to Gurgaon.

Briefing media after the meeting of the Cabinet, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said Line-II of Delhi Metro would now go up to Sushant Lok in Gurgaon.

However, the Delhi Metro Line-II from Central Secretariat to Gurgaon would take a deviation from the IIT original alignment from the point behind Green Park Station, proceed to Ambedkar Colony via Hauz Khas, Sarv Priya Vihar, Malviya Nagar and Saket.

The alignment up to Saket Station would be underground and after crossing the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, it would be elevated behind Ahimsa Sthal where it would join the original alignment.

The original alignment has been reviewed in the context of its impact on the Qutab Minar. The new alignment would cover high-density areas such as Malviya Nagar, Saket and Vasant Kunj.

The extension from Ambedkar Colony upto Sushant Lok would cost Rs 1422 crore out of which 7.42 km portion from Ambedkar Colony to Haryana Border would cost Rs 734 crore whereas the 7.05 kms portion from the Haryana Border to Sushant Lok would cost Rs 688 crore.

Among the other decisions taken by the Cabinet are restructuring of the PWD and handing over of Haj Manzil to the Delhi State Haj Committee.

Ms Dikshit said the Public Works Department would be restructured to carve out three additional zones to ensure introduction of good administrative practices. The restructuring would result in close supervision to improve not only the quality but also the speed of execution and, eventually, early completion of the works.

As against the four zones at present, the PWD shall have three project zones, one Commonwealth Project zone and three separate maintenance zones each headed by a Chief Engineer level officer.

One of the project zones will execute all major flyovers, sub-ways, RUBs, ROBs and bridge works; the second project zone will execute the major hospital projects, jails and fire station works whereas the third would be for education and police sector works.

Mrs Dikshit said the PWD presently is handling workload of about Rs 1100 to 1200 crore for development of urban infrastructure and its proper upkeep. The works being executed by each zone are beyond the workload norms prescribed by the CPWD. The hosting of the Commonwealth Games 2010 in Delhi would also require completion of all projects in time with state-of-the-art quality, hence, the need for urgent strengthening of the Public Works Department could not have been more pressing and important.

The Cabinet has also decided to handover the Haj Manzil to the Delhi State Haj Committee for its optimum utilisation and better maintenance. The Haj Manzil, a five storeyed building at Turkman Gate constructed by the DDA in 1989 at a cost of Rs 168.84 lakh on a plot of 650 sq m, was later transferred to the Slum Department in September 1992.

Except for the basement and the ground floor, which are under the possession of Slum Department, the entire remaining building is under the occupation of the Delhi State Haj Committee.

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