Delhi's Barapullah Elevated Road Phase-III project, long overdue and over budget, is back in the spotlight. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday ordered a probe by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) into a Rs 175 crore payout made to the project's contractor, blaming it on "negligence and mismanagement" by the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
The announcement came during a high-level review meeting of the Expenditure Finance Committee at the Delhi Secretariat. CM Gupta pulled up senior officials over the years-long delay and the legal wrangling that forced the government to clear the hefty payment.
"This isn't just a case of delay, it's a case of public money being wasted due to inaction. We will hold those responsible to account," the Chief Minister said at the meeting.
What Went Wrong
The Phase-III corridor was sanctioned in 2011 and construction began in 2015, with a 30-month deadline. The 6.2-kilometre stretch is intended to connect Sarai Kale Khan to Mayur Vihar Phase-III and decongest key traffic corridors between South and East Delhi.
But the project soon ran into roadblocks. Work was halted midway, leading to arbitration. In 2023, the Delhi High Court directed the government to pay Rs 175 crore to the contractor, an amount that included interest and GST, after the Public Works Department (PWD) failed to act on earlier offers of settlement.
Ms Gupta alleged that the contractor had proposed a settlement of Rs 35 crore, which the AAP government "ignored entirely."
"That decision, or the lack of one, cost the city an additional Rs 140 crore. It's unacceptable," she said. The payout was eventually cleared under the tenure of then-PWD Minister Atishi.
PWD Also Under Watch
CM Gupta didn't limit the blame to political leadership. She said senior officials in the PWD could also come under scrutiny.
"There may have been complicity within the department. The ACB will investigate all angles, including the role of officers who failed to act," she said.
Despite the ongoing probe, the government has assured that construction will continue. "No more delays will be tolerated. The remaining work must be completed within the revised timeline," CM Gupta told officials.
Current Status: 87% Work Done, Final Clearances Pending
As per project officials, 87% of the construction is complete. The remaining work is pending environmental clearance for tree removal along the route - a process that is reportedly nearing approval. Once granted, construction is expected to pick up pace.
Meanwhile, costs continue to rise. Originally budgeted at Rs 1,260 crore, the project is now estimated at Rs 1,330 crore. Of the Rs 150 crore allocated for this financial year, Rs 86.43 crore has already been spent by June.
Project Timeline:
2011: Project approved
2015: Construction begins
2017: Deadline missed
2023: High Court orders ₹175 crore payment
2025: Project 87% complete; ACB probe launched
Launched as a much-needed traffic solution, the Barapullah Phase-III project has instead become a cautionary tale of delay, dispute, and administrative failure. Now, with most of the work nearly done and corruption charges under investigation, the project finds itself at a crossroads.
Will the BJP-led Delhi government clean up the mess and finally deliver on the promise, or will this become yet another incomplete file in the city's long backlog of unfinished infrastructure?
