Stalled Delhi Infra Projects Await Final Govt Clearances
ROADS & HIGHWAYS

Stalled Delhi Infra Projects Await Final Govt Clearances

Several vital infrastructure projects across Delhi—including those in public transport, healthcare, and urban mobility—remain stalled despite reaching 70 to 90 per cent completion, owing to delayed administrative approvals and inter-departmental clearances. Officials have cited bottlenecks in budget sanctions, environmental permissions, and agency coordination as key reasons behind the hold-up, even as significant investments and construction milestones have already been achieved.
Projects currently affected include the DTC bus depot at Sawda Ghevra, flyovers at Nand Nagri and Gagan Cinema junction, the final underpass of the Pragati Maidan transit corridor, Barapullah Phase III elevated roadway, and a network of 11 greenfield hospitals across the capital. The Sawda Ghevra bus depot, aimed at expanding city-wide transit infrastructure, is 85 per cent complete, but its commissioning—initially expected in December 2023—has been pushed back due to pending approvals from the transport department.
The Nand Nagri and Gagan Cinema flyover project, which is seen as critical to alleviating traffic congestion in northeast Delhi, is at 90 per cent construction progress. However, it awaits final permissions for tree cutting and transplantation before it can be inaugurated.
Likewise, the underpass forming part of the Pragati Maidan transit corridor, stuck at 98 per cent completion, has faced prolonged delays since 2022 because of unresolved technical issues with Northern Railways. Officials have said that work is now expected to resume following the finalisation of a detailed plan for soil stabilisation and grouting to mitigate disruption to train services.
Healthcare infrastructure, too, has been significantly affected. Hospitals under construction in areas such as Jwalapuri, Madipur, and Siraspur have achieved between 78 and 90 per cent completion but remain awaiting budgetary approvals for finalisation. Other ICU-focused hospitals in Shalimar Bagh, Sultanpuri, and Sarita Vihar are between 58 and 63 per cent complete, while the Kirari facility has yet to break ground. Escalating costs and the requirement for renewed financial approvals have added further delays.
One of the most prominent stalled projects is the Barapullah Phase III elevated corridor, a key urban mobility link between Sarai Kale Khan and Mayur Vihar. Originally budgeted at Rs 9.64 billion, the project's cost has ballooned to Rs 13.3 billion following years of delays. Only 690 metres of construction remain pending, with officials awaiting tree-felling clearance from the Central Empowered Committee to proceed.
Despite these obstacles, authorities emphasised that all these projects are critical to improving Delhi’s long-term sustainability, healthcare delivery, and transport capacity. Fast-tracking administrative clearances, they say, could unlock immense social and economic value while bringing long-overdue infrastructure to underserved neighbourhoods. 

Several vital infrastructure projects across Delhi—including those in public transport, healthcare, and urban mobility—remain stalled despite reaching 70 to 90 per cent completion, owing to delayed administrative approvals and inter-departmental clearances. Officials have cited bottlenecks in budget sanctions, environmental permissions, and agency coordination as key reasons behind the hold-up, even as significant investments and construction milestones have already been achieved.Projects currently affected include the DTC bus depot at Sawda Ghevra, flyovers at Nand Nagri and Gagan Cinema junction, the final underpass of the Pragati Maidan transit corridor, Barapullah Phase III elevated roadway, and a network of 11 greenfield hospitals across the capital. The Sawda Ghevra bus depot, aimed at expanding city-wide transit infrastructure, is 85 per cent complete, but its commissioning—initially expected in December 2023—has been pushed back due to pending approvals from the transport department.The Nand Nagri and Gagan Cinema flyover project, which is seen as critical to alleviating traffic congestion in northeast Delhi, is at 90 per cent construction progress. However, it awaits final permissions for tree cutting and transplantation before it can be inaugurated.Likewise, the underpass forming part of the Pragati Maidan transit corridor, stuck at 98 per cent completion, has faced prolonged delays since 2022 because of unresolved technical issues with Northern Railways. Officials have said that work is now expected to resume following the finalisation of a detailed plan for soil stabilisation and grouting to mitigate disruption to train services.Healthcare infrastructure, too, has been significantly affected. Hospitals under construction in areas such as Jwalapuri, Madipur, and Siraspur have achieved between 78 and 90 per cent completion but remain awaiting budgetary approvals for finalisation. Other ICU-focused hospitals in Shalimar Bagh, Sultanpuri, and Sarita Vihar are between 58 and 63 per cent complete, while the Kirari facility has yet to break ground. Escalating costs and the requirement for renewed financial approvals have added further delays.One of the most prominent stalled projects is the Barapullah Phase III elevated corridor, a key urban mobility link between Sarai Kale Khan and Mayur Vihar. Originally budgeted at Rs 9.64 billion, the project's cost has ballooned to Rs 13.3 billion following years of delays. Only 690 metres of construction remain pending, with officials awaiting tree-felling clearance from the Central Empowered Committee to proceed.Despite these obstacles, authorities emphasised that all these projects are critical to improving Delhi’s long-term sustainability, healthcare delivery, and transport capacity. Fast-tracking administrative clearances, they say, could unlock immense social and economic value while bringing long-overdue infrastructure to underserved neighbourhoods. 

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