BJP May Pull Plug on Costly Road Beautification Project in Delhi

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Faced with surging costs and mounting public scrutiny, the Bharatiya Janata Party is reportedly weighing the possibility of discontinuing Delhi’s ambitious roads and streetscaping beautification project. Once a showcase of modern urban planning, the initiative now finds itself in limbo.

Key Project Features

The project’s blueprint included extensive upgrades like granite footpaths, modern benches, landscaped medians, rainwater harvesting systems, and cycle lanes. A pilot phase was implemented in select areas including Outer Ring Road, Lodhi Road, and Sarai Kale Khan.

The project garnered initial praise for its vision and aesthetics, with a noticeable improvement in public spaces. However, operational and cost-related challenges have since emerged.

Soaring Budget Estimates

An RTI filed by civil society members revealed that costs increased by over 40% within two years of initiation. This includes expenditure on imported materials, labor delays, and repeated rework due to poor weather and planning missteps. While ₹500 crore was initially budgeted, the revised estimate crosses ₹800 crore.

PWD insiders now describe the project as “financially unsustainable,” especially when Delhi continues to grapple with a revenue deficit and other civic emergencies like air pollution, broken drainage, and stray animal management.

Opposition & Accountability

Leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress have called for a formal audit, alleging that the BJP is trying to quietly bury the project without public accountability. They have accused the party of creating “white elephants” in the name of smart city development.

Congress leader Alka Lamba said, “These projects are cosmetic. No lasting value has been added to the urban ecosystem. This is just optics.”

Community Response

Public opinion remains sharply divided. While young professionals and cyclists welcomed new tracks and open spaces, many pedestrians felt the works failed to cater to real walking needs.

Critics say the work was uneven and lacked coordination with utilities. In many locations, footpaths were dug up soon after being laid to accommodate sewer or broadband cables, leading to frequent disruptions.

Rajan Yadav, a resident of Mayur Vihar, said, “This could’ve worked if planned properly, but it feels like a rushed vanity exercise.”

Legal and Environmental Hurdles

The National Green Tribunal has already intervened in some stretches, halting construction for alleged violations related to tree cutting and lack of environmental clearance. Local environmental NGOs have also filed petitions seeking a stay on further expansion without proper EIAs (Environmental Impact Assessments).

The Future in Focus

Sources say that the BJP is currently considering pivoting from full streetscaping to targeted micro-interventions—such as upgrading critical intersections, replacing broken pavements, and focusing on neighborhood-level enhancements. A revised plan may be submitted by the PWD before the end of the quarter.

If shelved completely, it would mark one of the most high-profile rollbacks of an urban project in recent years in the capital.

Conclusion

While Delhi’s roads may not see the grand transformation once envisioned, the city’s leadership now seems to be favoring pragmatism over prestige. As political and financial realities sink in, the future of beautification lies in smarter, leaner, and more sustainable upgrades.

Journalist Details

Jitendra Kumar

Jitendra Kumar is an Indian journalist and social activist from Hathras in Uttar Pradesh is known as the senior journalist and founder of Xpert Times Network Private Limited.