3 min readNew DelhiJan 31, 2026 10:41 AM IST
First published on: Jan 31, 2026 at 10:41 AM IST
The Public Works Department (PWD) has engaged Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and IIT Kanpur to conduct a comprehensive structural audit of the Signature Bridge, India’s first asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge, which was opened for the public in 2018, officials said on Friday.
The bridge was recently taken over by PWD for maintenance, following a request from Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation (DTTDC).
“The bridge is not in a good condition. It had not been maintained properly by DTTDC over the years. It has been seven years since it opened to the public, but not even a single structural audit has been conducted. Structural audit of elevated corridors, which take years to complete, should be conducted at least twice a year,” a senior PWD official said.
The official added that after taking over the bridge, a team of PWD had conducted an internal audit and found the road surface, the grills and the side railings in a damaged condition. Moreover, streetlights were non-functional.
“Following the internal audit report, street poles and lights were fixed to eradicate dark spots. The road surfaces and potholes were also repaired. But as the bridge did not go through a proper structural audit and maintenance for years, the PWD decided to engage experts from IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur to ensure that the bridge is completely safe,” said the official.
Officials said a team of experts from the two IITs have already visited the site. “They have asked for the map, architectural design and other construction details of the bridge. The two institutes will submit their report in a month, after which it will be decided if further intervention is required,” said the official.
When contacted, a DTTDC official said, “We had handed over the bridge in good condition. But any agency that takes over a stretch like this will conduct an audit to check its structural stability for its satisfaction.”
The elevated bridge was constructed by the DTTDC at a cost of Rs 1518.37 crore. It was given a budget to build the bridge and maintain it for three years. After its term got over, the DTTDC started facing budget issues and decided to handover the bridge to PWD, as it looks after road maintenance and repair.
The stretch, which falls under PWD’s jurisdiction, is a cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge which spans the Yamuna river at Wazirabad section, connecting Wazirabad to East Delhi. It also connects the Outer Ring Road with Northeast Delhi’s Karawal Nagar and Bhajanpura, providing a direct connectivity to commuters travelling between Loni in Ghaziabad, Rajinder Nagar as well as Northeast and Central parts of the Capital, such as ITO.
PWD has roped in IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur to conduct a structural audit of Delhi’s Signature Bridge, opened in 2018. (Express Photo) 
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