Delhi PWD Projects Await Fresh Push as Delays Persist in Hospital and Flyover Construction
The Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) are facing severe delays, prompting calls for urgent intervention and funding to ensure their completion. The projects in question include three major government hospital developments, double-decker flyovers, and the long-delayed Barapullah elevated road, all of which have breached their deadlines due to funding issues and poor planning.
Among the most critical projects awaiting completion are the hospitals at Guru Gobind Singh, Sanjay Gandhi Memorial, and Acharya Shri Bhikshu. These hospitals, being developed on the campuses of existing facilities, have the potential to add 1,104 beds to the city’s healthcare system. Despite being close to completion, they require a final push in terms of funding to overcome obstacles and finish construction. These projects have come under scrutiny due to their extended delays, and the Delhi High Court has directed that they be completed within the 2024-25 financial year, stressing the need for accountability to prevent public funds from being wasted. In August 2024, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, VK Saxena, reviewed the ongoing healthcare infrastructure projects and sharply criticised the Delhi government for the “ill-planned” hospital developments. The situation is compounded by the fact that there are 24 hospitals in various stages of completion, many of which have faced setbacks due to poor initial planning and a lack of structured implementation. A meeting with the Health and Family Welfare Department recorded that most delays stemmed from ad-hoc decisions and a lack of coordination during project formulation.
Meanwhile, other PWD projects, such as the construction of double-decker flyovers, have also suffered from slow progress. The Bhajanpura-Yamuna Vihar, Azadpur-Ashok Vihar, and Sangam Vihar-Ambedkar Nagar flyovers were expected to be completed by 2023 but remain incomplete. These projects, which are being executed jointly with Delhi Metro, have faced numerous delays, with a revised budget of Rs 30 crore allocated for their completion. These flyovers are essential to improving traffic flow across key areas, but bureaucratic inefficiencies and funding constraints have slowed their progress. Another high-profile but delayed project is the third phase of the Barapullah elevated road. Originally slated for completion in 2015, this project has faced nearly a decade of delays due to land allotment issues, environmental concerns, and clearance from the forest department for tree felling. Despite resolution on some of these setbacks, the project continues to face hurdles, affecting the city’s overall transportation infrastructure.
In addition, the much-anticipated ‘world-class’ sports university project, which was announced in 2020 with an allocation of Rs 2,100 crore, has also not progressed beyond the planning stages. The university, envisioned to provide state-of-the-art sports facilities in Mundka, has yet to see any ground-breaking activity, leaving the project’s future uncertain. These delays have highlighted the need for stronger project management, adequate funding, and more streamlined processes for clearances and approvals. As Delhi continues to grow, the successful completion of these critical infrastructure projects will be key to supporting its expanding population and improving quality of life. A fresh push from the new government will be essential to move these stalled projects forward and address the growing infrastructure gap in the city.
