The Uttar Pradesh government has approved a budget of Rs 892.7 crore to restart construction on the long-delayed Chilla elevated road, which aims to connect Mayur Vihar in Delhi with the Mahamaya Flyover in Noida. This decision was made during a high-level meeting chaired by the state’s infrastructure and industrial development commissioner earlier this week, as reported by The Times of India. The allocated funds are slightly lower than the Rs 937.9 crore requested by the Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation Ltd (UPSBCL), the agency responsible for the project.
Construction of the 5.9-kilometre, six-lane elevated road was initially conceived in 2012 to alleviate traffic congestion between Noida and Delhi.
However, the project has faced numerous setbacks, including financial delays, rerouting pipelines, and complications from the Covid-19 pandemic, which brought the work to a standstill in March 2020. To date, only 13 per cent of the project has been completed, with Noida Authority disbursing Rs 79 crore.
The project’s execution was awarded to MG Contractors, a company based in Panchkula, Haryana, in June of this year. However, the contractor is awaiting formal approval from the Noida Authority before commencing work.
Chilla elevated road project plagued by delays
The original budget for the project was Rs 605.3 crore, with Noida Authority and the state government agreeing to share the cost. However, rising costs and inflation forced UPSBCL to request an increased budget. In October 2023, the corporation asked for an updated budget of Rs 940 crore, based on 2023 market rates. The government granted in-principle approval, but only Rs 892.7 crore has been allocated.
A fresh tender process was initiated, and MG Contractors won the contract by offering a 7 per cent lower price than the tender estimate. However, UPSBCL then requested an additional Rs 153 crore to cover new costs, leading to further delays in issuing the final work order.
Maintenance responsibilities
At a meeting on August 27, it was decided that UPSBCL would not receive maintenance charges for the project. Instead, Noida Authority will take over responsibility for maintaining the elevated road once it is completed.
The Chilla elevated road is seen as a crucial infrastructure project for improving traffic flow between Noida and Delhi. In June 2022, the Uttar Pradesh state cabinet sanctioned Rs 787 crore for the project, to be shared equally with Noida Authority. However, the tender process had to be revisited due to market fluctuations and rising costs. On September 19, the Uttar Pradesh government issued an order to Noida Authority to expedite the construction process. Once completed, the elevated road is expected to be a vital connector for thousands of commuters, easing congestion and reducing travel times between Noida and Delhi.
First Published: Oct 04 2024 | 3:19 PM IST
