Sheila doubts CP facelift will be over by December

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Thursday expressed deep concern over the slow pace of renovation work in Connaught Place (CP),saying it looked unlikely at the moment that the project would be able to meet its December deadline.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Thursday expressed deep concern over the slow pace of renovation work in Connaught Place (CP),saying it looked unlikely at the moment that the project would be able to meet its December deadline.

She said Delhis Chief Secretary would meet officials in the petroleum ministry to discuss the issue. Since project consultants,Engineers India Limited (EIL),comes under the petroleum ministry,the Chief Secretary and the NDMC chairperson are expected to meet officials in the ministry to discuss the delay. We will seek their advice. I have visited CP several times and it does not seem possible that all work will be completed by December 2012,as promised by EIL earlier, Dikshit said.

Stating that CP should be cleared of the mess as the area is the heart of the city and has historical importance,she said: The renovation plan was supposed to be completed by the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Two years on,there has been little progress.

Her statement came amid protests by CP traders,who said the situation could go out of hand once the monsoon hits the city.

The monsoon is approaching. The sewage lines have not been connected in several places. This is going to compound the mess. Electricity lines are lying exposed, New Delhi Traders Association president Atul Bharghav said.

After six years of digging in the area,the NDMC has nothing to show but dug-up spaces,exposed electrical wires and pipelines,the traders alleged.

NDMC officials,however,said they were hopeful that the majority of work would be completed by December.

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