Chief Minister Gifts 4 new projects for East Delhi

Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit formally inaugurated four road projects with an investment of Rs 412 crore including a bridge, flyovers and underpass in east Delhi on Wednesday, months after these became completely operational. Playing to the gallery, Dikshit said after completing the Commonwealth Games related projects, her government would take the ambitious task of constructing 4-5 lakh flats for rehabilitation of slum-dwellers.

The announcement at ITO Chungi underpass gains significance since the public works department (PWD) had to remove over 1,700 slums for the construction of this project. After inaugurating ITO Chungi underpass, Shastri Nagar Pushta and Raja Ram Kohli Marg flyovers besides Geeta Colony Bridge, Dikshit claimed that in the next few years, trans-Yamuna area would become as good as New Delhi — something that is seen as a move by the chief minister to consolidate her base and also to strengthen the support for her son and east Delhi MP, Sandeep Dikshit.

Those who attended the grand ceremony were surprised to see the already functional stretches.

Ministers from Sheila Cabinet also promised locals to make Trans-Yamuna a better place to live. Finance minister A K Walia said, ‘‘The look of east Delhi has changed. Earlier, people used to feel those who were shifting to east Delhi did not find any other place in the city. And now, when people from south Delhi are interested to shift here, they don’t find any space.’’ Shahadara MLA and trans-Yamuna Development Board chairman Narendra Nath also claimed that in the next few years, this part of the city would emerge as the best ‘‘with the ongoing development.’’

Addressing the public gathering, Sandeep Dikshit lashed out at the Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC), Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and other Central agencies for putting ‘break’ on city’s development. ‘‘These bodies have been set up for development, but instead, they are putting road-blocks.