After facing a delay of over six years and a cost escalation of around Rs 500 crore, the ambitious Signature Bridge will be thrown open for the public in April next year. Modelled on the lines of London Bridge, the project was to be completed before the Commonwealth Games hosted by Delhi in 2010.
Despite the numerous challenges faced in the construction of Delhi’s dream project, 88 metre of 154 metre high bridge has been constructed and the remaining work is also moving along swiftly. According to the revised deadline, the bridge will be thrown open for the public by April next year.
The idea to construct the bridge was conceptualised in 1997 when a school bus fell in the Yamuna. A decision was taken to construct a bridge parallel to the Wazirabad Bridge. However, for the next 15 years, the proposal was stuck in bureaucratic hassles. The final decision to construct the Signature Bridge at par with the global standards was taken in 2004 and the project was decided to be completed before the Commonwealth Games 2010.
However, it took another six years for the Cabinet to grant its approval in 2010 with an estimate of Rs 1,131 crore. Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation was entrusted with the responsibility of the ambitious project.
The project, however, continued to be mired in numerous obstacles. The project hit the land hurdle as the site was surrounded by forest. Construction work of the bridge started only in 2012 when the forest department granted its approval. Once the project kicked-off, the engineers had to confront other hurdles. It was discovered that the Yamuna bed was rocky and machines had to be imported from Korea to carve it for construction. Due to the rocky terrain, the bridge had to undergo design changes, which further delayed its construction.
The foundation work of the project, which was to be completed in 2010, could only take off in 2014. Shishir Bansal, chief project manager of the bridge said that despite numerous hurdles that mired the project, the bridge will be opened for the public use next year. He said that as part of the project, a bow shaped tower is being constructed in the middle of River Yamuna. The total height of the tower is 154 metres. Once constructed, the bridge will be the tallest building in the city, almost double the height of the famous Qutub Minar. The entire tower will weigh 60 tonnes with thick cables supporting it from both sides. Some hurdles being faced in constructing pillar number 23 are now being cleared.
The Signature Bridge is coming up near Wazirabad and will connect north Delhi and east Delhi. With its steel towers planned to be double the height of Qutab Minar and a waterfront development also in the pipeline, the project is expected to be a tourist attraction. Initially planned with a budget of Rs 1,131 crore, the cost has escalated to nearly Rs 1,600 crore.
