The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has announced plans for an Rs 839 million upgrade of key arterial roads across Lutyens’ Delhi, including the Connaught Place circles, Janpath, Sansad Marg, KG Marg, and Lodhi Estate. The large-scale road recarpeting and rehabilitation project will be executed in consultation with the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI). NDMC has issued five separate tenders for resurfacing works covering five of its six road divisions — Connaught Place, R1, R2, R4, and R5. Officials said bids are expected to be finalised early next month. “Bids for the remaining roads will be issued soon, bringing the overall project cost to around Rs 920 million,” an NDMC official said. The tentative completion deadline is March 31, 2026, subject to restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) during pollution control periods. CRRI-Led Road Assessment The CRRI carried out an assessment of 79 major revenue roads across the NDMC area earlier this year, identifying widespread cracking, distress, and weathering. Based on its findings, the NDMC formulated a comprehensive road redevelopment plan for New Delhi. The CRRI report recommends milling, overlay, and repair work for at least 60 roads, including Connaught Place Outer Circle, Sansad Marg, Janpath, KG Marg, and Lodhi Estate. The institute will also conduct third-party supervision to ensure quality control. NDMC manages a 1,298 km-long road network and 52 rotaries in the national capital. Division-Wise Project Costs The road improvement works will be carried out division by division to minimise traffic disruption: Connaught Place Division – Rs 87.4 million R1 Division – Rs 233.9 million R2 Division – Rs 231.2 million R4 Division – Rs 248.6 million R5 Division – Rs 248.6 million Depending on the extent of work, the completion period for each stretch will vary from four months to one year. In September 2024, NDMC signed an Rs 40 million agreement with CRRI to conduct road condition studies and recommend structural and engineering improvements. The partnership also includes training NDMC engineers and staff on modern maintenance practices. Findings From The CRRI Report The CRRI’s inspection revealed significant deterioration across major routes: Connaught Place Division: All eight roads need rehabilitation, with severe cracking found on Panchkuian Road Extension. Sansad Marg & Janpath: Distress and surface cracking observed near Connaught Place. KG Marg: “Hungry surface” detected, indicating aggregate loss and micro-cracks. R1 Division: Out of 18 roads, only four — Pandara Road, Purana Quila Road, Jai Singh Road, and Bhagwan Das Road — need no intervention. R2 Division: Golf Links Road found “heavily ravelled” with potholes and uneven surfaces. R4 Division: Maximum damage at Bordoloi Road, with patching and cracks on Sardar Patel Marg. R5 Division: Mandir Marg, Kali Bari Marg, and Pandit Pant Marg require full rehabilitation, while Talkatora Road remains in good condition. Once completed, the project will restore some of New Delhi’s most iconic roads to modern standards, improving ride quality, safety, and drainage performance across the capital’s central zone.