PWD plans comprehensive maintenance to improve safety of subways

New Delhi, Sep 18 (PTI) Aiming to improve pedestrian safety, the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi government is mulling to implement a comprehensive monitoring-and-maintenance plan for subways and foot over bridges, officials said on Thursday.

PWD Minister Parvesh Verma carried out a ground inspection with all the top officials of the department last month and found issues with the subways and foot over bridges (FOBs).

According to PWD officials, a company will be hired to undertake repairs and maintenance of six key subways at Shastri Nagar, Saraswati Vihar, Rohini Court, Inderlok, Wazirpur and Britannia Chowk in the first phase. The contract is expected to cover at least a year, during which the focus will be on ensuring that these subways are safe and well-maintained for public use.

"More subways and bridges that need attention are also being surveyed and phase-wise plans are being prepared for those. Under this maintenance plan, proper illumination will be ensured, security guards will be deployed and CCTV cameras installed, wherever required," an official said.

In 2023, a 16-year-old boy died after falling from an FOB as protective grilles were missing, forcing the PWD to prepare a comprehensive maintenance plan for all FOBs. However, it largely remained on paper.

Now, the department has floated a tender for the implementation of that plan for the FOBs in northwest zone that are yet to be identified. The PWD had said earlier said electrical items installed at FOBs and subways, such as elevators and escalators, often fall prey to theft. The department now plans to deploy security guards at the facilities.

"Providing round-the-clock security guards without guns for watch and ward of government premises and its all belongings by deploying neatly-dressed security guards in 8 hour shifts, including necessary materials like torch, lathi and uniform etc. complete, as per the direction of engineer-in-charge," the tender states.

The Delhi High Court slammed the PWD in 2023 for FOBs being in such a "pathetic condition" that even a healthy person would not be able to use those. The PWD had assured the court that repairs and necessary changes would be made. PTI SSM RC