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Key infrastructure projects in Delhi, already hindered by intermittent curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap), are likely to remain in limbo at least until mid-February, as the Delhi assembly elections have triggered the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). With the MCC in place, officials said, new approvals or announcements cannot be made until after the polls.
MCD multilevel parking at Amar Colony. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)
Among the affected projects are the presentation of the municipal budget, road re-carpeting in dilapidated areas, and the redevelopment of the Shivaji Bus Terminal near Connaught Place.
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A senior official from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said that delays due to the absence of a standing committee were already affecting the civic body’s work. Now, with the MCC in effect, “no new work orders can be issued” until it is lifted. The official also noted that this disruption would likely impact the corporation’s annual budget cycle since new announcements are prohibited during the election period.
Municipal budget
Under the normal annual cycle of MCD, the annual budget proposals and revised budget estimates are presented before the standing committee in December. The proposals are then discussed and amended in various special, ad-hoc and wards committees and the house of councillors through January, and the tax rates for the next financial year are finalised before February 15 in a special meeting of the house. The municipal budget proposals are valued at approximately ₹17,000 crore this year.
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A senior MCD official said that the budget could not be presented in December due to the non-formation of the standing committee. The budget process may now be compressed into a shorter timeline, the official said. “Since no new announcements are allowed, we will likely have to rush the process close to the February 15 deadline, pending special permission from the Election Commission,” said the official, who asked not to be named.
Shivaji Stadium terminal
Similarly, the New Delhi Municipal Council’s (NDMC) plan to redevelop the Shivaji Bus Terminal cum commercial complex will face further delays. An NDMC official said that while existing approved projects would continue, the Shivaji Terminal project would remain on hold until after the elections. Initially approved in December 2021, the project has been in limbo due to subsequent amendments.
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Other NDMC projects, such as developing an intelligent parking system at 152 sites, will also be affected. Though the proposal for inviting bids was cleared in December, no work orders can be issued during the MCC period. Meanwhile, the proposed cycle track connecting Moti Bagh to South Block will also remain in abeyance.
Mohalla buses
The Delhi government’s Mohalla bus project, aimed at improving last-mile connectivity, is another casualty of election-related delays. These smaller, nine-meter-long, air-conditioned electric buses with 23 seats were expected to be operational by mid-December. Chief minister Atishi had announced that 150 Mohalla buses would be introduced within weeks, with 2,140 buses planned over the next year. However, the launch did not materialise before the MCC came into effect.
A transport department official said that the launch was delayed and is now likely to take place after the elections with all the routes finalised.
Delhi-Saharanpur highway
The central government’s plans to inaugurate the elevated section of the Delhi-Saharanpur highway have also been postponed. Though a trial run for the 150-km highway, officially named NH 709B, was scheduled for early January, the launch was called off due to “technical issues.” Under MCC rules, the highway cannot be inaugurated during the election period. Once operational, the corridor is expected to reduce congestion in northeast Delhi and cut travel time to several Uttar Pradesh districts.
MCD parking projects
Several multilevel parking projects by the MCD, including those planned for Shastri Park, Rani Bagh, Rajendra Nagar, and Idgah, will also be delayed. An MCD official said, “The Shastri Park parking site will accommodate 935 cars, while the Rani Bagh and Rajendra Nagar sites will each cater to 700 cars. These projects, costing approximately ₹96.5 crore each, require approvals that cannot be obtained during the MCC period.”
Road recarpeting
Road recarpeting and repair works, critical in several areas of Delhi, have already been delayed. HT had reported on December 17 that the road repair work on the city’s arterial road network was struggling with obstacles in the form of Grap restrictions and the cold weather. The imposition of the MCC is now the latest hurdle for the project. A PWD official said that no new work orders or tenders could be issued until the elections are over, although ongoing and emergency repairs will continue.
Key road stretches slated for strengthening include sections of the Ring Road from Punjabi Bagh to Shalimar Bagh, Outer Ring Road, Mehrauli-Mahipalpur Road, and ITO near the Delhi Secretariat, among others.
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