New Delhi, February 13 Restrictions on construction activity due to pollution have delayed the Public Works Department's (PWD) roundabout beautification project, with a new deadline set for March, government officials said on Friday.
"Our target is to complete the work at more than 40 roundabouts, likely by the end of March this year. Due to GRAP restrictions, work was stalled for several days. Hence, the deadline of the project is slightly shifted," a senior official said.
The project, announced by the Delhi government in November last year, aims to revamp over 40 roundabouts across the city with artistic landscaping, modern lighting systems, sculptural installations, murals, and thematic greenery to enhance the capital's aesthetic appeal.
According to Public Works Department (PWD) officials, work is ongoing at several locations at a fast pace, while concerns over the security of the items being installed at the sites have been discussed in a recent meeting with senior government officials.
The work was supposed to be completed by late January 2026, ahead of the peak tourist season, but it has been stalled due to the implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), and the new deadline is now the end of March, officials said.
"The initiative is expected to enrich Delhi's visual identity and reinforce its image as a true national capital that reflects the cultural spirit of the entire country," the official further said.
"We have seen that within a few months of completing projects, there are issues regarding theft, sanitation, and maintenance. The PWD is an engineering agency concerned with roads and buildings; controlling theft is part of law and order," he said.
In the past, the PWD has faced issues such as theft of electrical parts and iron grilles, and damage to horticultural items at major locations. There should be a policy decision on this matter, another official said.
Officials said that expensive installations inside the Pragati Maidan Tunnel, parts of escalators on foot overbridges, and electric wires of musical fountains on Mathura Road have been stolen and damaged, rendering them useless.