Short on time,govt decides to focus on main projects,others can wait

“These roads are the priority,so our best effort should be to have them ready by next month. Work on other roads that we hoped to complete in time can be spread out over the next few months,” said Mehta.

Upgrade of several roads away from Games sites,like the Ring Road from Ashram in South Delhi to Naraina in West Delhi,have been put on the backburner.

“I have asked construction officials to do an assessment and submit a report about the stretches that can wait and those that are to be given priority,” said Mehta.

Last week,Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had pulled up the Public Works Department officials over the “sluggish pace of work”. Urban Development minister A K Walia,who last week inspected some stretches where the work is in progress,had also expressed disappointment at the progress,especially on the stretch that leads to the Games Village. Mehta said August 31 has been fixed for completing road signage projects to ensure an international look for the city ahead of the mega sporting event.

Construction officials said they are already running behind schedule and the August deadline set by Dikshit means they can barely finish work on roads around Games sites.

Ministers gagged
Sheila Dikshit has strictly prohibited her Cabinet ministers from going public with delays in construction work for the Games. She has reportedly asked ministers not to reveal inspection reports of the projects. The diktat comes after Dikshit divided her six Cabinet ministers into groups of two and asked them to inspect all projects. Recently Urban Development minister A K Walia and Transport minister Arvinder Lovely pointed out delays in work being done by the PWD,headed by colleague Rajkumar Chauhan. After the Cabinet meeting on Monday,Walia refused to talk to the media,saying he had been asked not to do so.