Sunday, January 3, 2010

Fate Happy on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg; proposed to get a facelift

Work for re-development of historic Ferozeshah Kotla and Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg in the Capital to de-congest parking in the area and improve landscaping is all set to take off now in the New Year with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi approving the award of work to the contractor.

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which had signed a memorandum of understanding with the MCD for the project, has assured the civic agency that work would be completed before June this year well in time for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Apart from re-development of Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and Ferozeshah Kotla, the project also includes refurbishing of the road between Delhi Gate and Darya Ganj. The civic body also plans to develop a heritage corridor starting from Coronation Park in North Delhi to Qutub Minar in South Delhi that would include prominent heritage sites such as Ferozeshah Kotla, Khooni Darwaza and Delhi Gate. The famous Shankar’s International Dolls Museum and Shaheed Park are other important locations which fall on the stretch and would be re-developed.

The MCD had initially planned to build up a multi-level underground parking lot at Shaheed Park. However, because of huge parking requirements in the area the parking site has been shifted to the Parade Ground in Chandni Chowk. This lot would provide parking space for 663 cars and would be built at a cost of Rs.52 crore.

The civic body will also carry out extensive landscaping of the area. Shaheed Park will be developed to provide a clear view of the ancient Ferozeshah Kotla fort.

It will also improve and standardise the signs on Delhi’s roads before the 2010 Commonwealth Games as well as improve the roadside landscaping.

A plan is also being worked out to de-congest the area around the Dolls Museum under the project. “We want to make the Dolls Museum more accessible. A parking lot at Manak Bhavan across the road will reduce the vehicle load in the Press Area. It will also make the Dolls Museum more popular,” said a civic body official.

“Since the proposal for refurbishing of the road between Delhi Gate and Darya Ganj involved changes in the traffic pattern, the area in front of Ferozeshah Kotla is proposed to be taken up in the first phase as it will involve minimum disturbance,” he added.

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