NEW DELHI: Pollution-related curbs on construction activity have delayed the PWD’s roundabout beautification project, with a fresh deadline now set for next month, government officials said on Friday.
“Our target is to complete 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 project deadline has been slightly shifted,” an fficial said.
The PWD, in the first week of November last year, launched a beautification initiative under which 41 major roundabouts across the city are being themed on different States and Union Territories (UTs). The project aims to showcase India’s cultural, architectural, and historical richness, ensuring that the heart of Delhi reflects the spirit of the entire nation.
According to officials, work is progressing rapidly at several locations. However, concerns over the security of installed items were discussed in a recent meeting with senior government officials. The project was originally scheduled for completion by late January 2026, ahead of the peak tourist season, but was delayed due to the implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The revised deadline is now the end of March.
“The initiative is expected to enrich Delhi’s visual identity and reinforce its image as a true capital that reflects the cultural spirit of the entire country,” the official added.
“We have seen that within a few months of completing projects, issues such as theft, sanitation, maintenance arise. PWD is an engineering agency concerned with roads and buildings; controlling theft is a law-and-order matter,” he said.
In the past, the PWD has faced theft of electrical parts and iron grilles, along with damage to horticulture items at major locations. Expensive installations inside Pragati Maidan Tunnel, parts of escalators on foot overbridges, and electric wires of musical fountains on Mathura Road have also been stolen or damaged, rendering them unusable. Officials said a policy decision is needed to address these concerns.
Under the plan, each roundabout will highlight the distinctive art, heritage, and traditions of different States and UTs. Designs include Rajasthan’s forts and palaces, Odisha’s Konark Sun Temple, Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya Ram Temple, Kerala’s backwater-inspired patterns, Gujarat’s Statue of Unity, and bamboo artistry from the North-East.
Blending traditional aesthetics with modern design
The project also includes artistic landscaping, advanced lighting systems, sculptural installations, murals, and thematic greenery, blending traditional aesthetics with modern urban design principles.