Jaipur: Three dream projects, one difficult deadline

RING ROAD PROJECT: Advancing a km each passing day

Jaipur Ring Road is on fast track development. The road is advancing a kilometer each day on its trajectory from Agra Road to Ajmer Road. It is further expected to gain pace to be completed by August 15. 

“The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) developing the ring road have assured of the project to be ready for public dedication by August, the contractor firm too has agreed to increase its resources for faster completion of the project,” says Jaipur development commissioner, Vaibhav Galriya. 

The ring road has been one of the priorities of chief minister Vasundhara Raje. The project envisaged nearly two decades ago had been caught in bureaucratic and legal complications for years till the CM office had placed it on priority. 

It was in September last year that NHAI released tender of Rs 960 crore for construction of the 47-kilometer long southern ring road. The tender got awarded a couple of months later and was supposed to be completed till March 2019, however, in wake of the assembly elections the project is gearing for completing much before the deadline.

As land acquisition completes the road laying has commenced from the direction of Agra Road and nearly 6.2 kilometers of the road has already been laid. The JDA, meanwhile, has completed the service road on the inner side of the Ring Road and is being used by smaller vehicles. 

Even as the construction works along the road may take some time, the southern half is expected to be ready to meet an early deadline even if the road laying may be limited to a single side initially. In the meanwhile, the contracts for northern ring road have also been released and NHAI has also sanctioned Rs 200 crore to JDA for acquiring land for proposed cloverleaf flyovers.

DRAVYAVATI PROJECT: Round-the-clock work for a majestic view 

Work continues round the clock at Dravyavati riverfront to meet the inaugural deadline of August 15. 

There are over three thousand people working on the project and the progress is being reviewed monthly by Jaipur development commissioner. This has enabled for the inauguration of the project nearly a month in advance of the stipulated time. 

It has been once a near extinction seasonal river reduced to a drain ‘Nulla’ that is now taking shape of riverfront across the 47-kilometer length of the city. However, the pace of development remains uneven, the work of stone pitching and cementing of the river flow area has been completed in most areas, yet nearly 3 kilometer of the stretch within army area and another 5 kilometer in the forest area lag behind due to challenges faced in acquiring necessary clearances. 

Meanwhile, hydro testing has commenced at two of the five sewerage treatment plants including the 100 MLD capacity plant near Bambala. “The project is expected to conserve nearly 170 MLD of water through treatment of sewage, the testing of remaining plants shall commence soon,” says an official. 

Commission of these STPs shall bring fresh clean water between the cemented banks and provide Jaipurites a view of the riverfront. The view shall be more majestic from the three theme based parks at which the civil works have been completed and plantation continues. 

Officials admit that it has been the ‘interest’ of chief minister that has resulted in the Rs1,676 crore project to advance on a fast pace. It was in August 2016 that foundation stone of the project was laid by the chief minister at a ceremony and two years later, its set for the inauguration. 

However, the project continues to face with issues of encroachment.

ELEVATED ROAD: Elevated road likely to miss deadline

The Hawa Sarak elevated road under construction between Ambedkar Circle and Bais Godam shall miss the inaugural spree of August. The project to have commenced months before the Dravyavati Riverfront is lagging behind its deadline due to several reasons. The project planned to be completed by January 2019 is expected to shoot its deadline by 6 months. 

The development authority has released work order of nearly Rs 213 crore for development of the firm, however, till April this year financial progress of the project was estimated around Rs 42 crore only.

According to Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) officials, 90 per cent of the foundation work has been completed, the structure construction has reached 50 per cent mark while work has just commenced on the super-structure. The crisis of construction sand (Bajri) has been a major cause of delay.

“At present the work is running slow on the elevated road due to the shortage of Bajri, we are trying to work with the contractor to seek a solution,” says a senior JDA officer. 

The project is envisaged in two components, the first stretch of 1.8 kilometer being constructed between 80 feet road T-point at Hawa Sarak and near Ganda Nulla at Bhawani Singh Road. The second one nearly 2.8 kilometer is envisaged to commence Bhawani Singh road near LIC office and join the Elevated Road on Ajmer road near Sodala. This shall also have a down ramp near Bais Godam Circle.  

The elevated road remains a long-standing requirement as traffic congestion issue continues to rise along the Hawa Sarak, this on completion is expected to reduce the traveling time between Ambedkar circle and Ajmer road by almost 40 minutes. The project though itself remains on a slow track and might take some more time.