Delhi to spend Rs.440 crore on roads, afforestation

New Delhi, June 26 (IANS) The Delhi government Tuesday approved 23 projects worth Rs.440 crore, of which a lion's share of Rs.331 crore will be spent on the public works department's (PWD) battered roads.

"The expenditure finance committee (EFC) has sanctioned 23 projects amounting to Rs.440 crore," Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said, after presiding over a meeting of the committee.

Of the 23 projects, 20 are of the PWD and the rest are of the departments of forest, social welfare and irrigation and flood.

Besides roads, the rest of the amount has been earmarked for works like tree plantation, afforestation and construction of homes for mentally disabled.

Talking to reporters, Dikshit said: "The roads transferred by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to PWD are not in good shape. The condition of roads is not satisfactory and they require urgent improvement, strengthening, widening and upgradation."

While repair of 11 roads in east Delhi's trans-Yamuna area will cost Rs.148.55 crore, an amount of Rs.154.42 crore has been earmarked for seven roads in south and west Delhi.

In northern part of the capital, two roads will be repaired at a cost of Rs.28 crore.

The EFC also sanctioned an amount of Rs.47.63 crore for construction of five stay homes for mentally retarded people.