Overcoming its feet-dragging approach to building foot-over bridges in the New Delhi Municipal Council area ever since the original proposal was approved by the Council in 2005, the civic body has finally accorded approval for construction of grade separators at seven locations in its area. Accepting the recommendations of project consultants Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS), the civic body has decided to construct two foot-over bridges, three subways and two vehicular underpasses. However, the budget and the timelines for the project are yet to be worked out by the civic body. Also, the issue of whether the project would be implemented under the public-private-partnership mode as originally proposed in 2005 would be decided after necessary details are worked out by DIMTS. The foot-over bridges would be constructed near S.N. Depot on Africa Avenue and near Presidential Estate Gate No.31 at Mother Teresa Crescent, while the subways would be constructed near St. Thomas School on Mandir Marg, near Union Public Service Commission building on Shahjahan Road and near Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on Park Street. In addition, vehicular underpasses would be constructed near Hanuman Temple on Baba Kharak Singh Marg and near railway over-bride on Shantipath. Due to construction of a metro station on Aurobindo Marg, the civic body proposes to construct a pedestrian pathway near Safdarjung airport and near Dilli Haat which would be integrated with the metro station subway being constructed by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. DIMTS has also suggested construction of four-way pedestrian subways near W-Point on Tilak Marg. However, feasibility of this subway would have to be examined separately given that the connecting roads are owned by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Public Works Department apart from NDMC. The consultants have further suggested alternative construction of humped subways in place of foot-over bridges if they are not accepted by the Delhi Urban Arts Commission due to aesthetic reasons. The recommendations have been based on a detailed survey of the locations carried out by DIMTS to indicate the type of grade separator needed depending on the present volume of traffic vis-:-vis the pedestrians. Explaining the reasons for delay in the project, an NDMC official said: "Following the Council's approval of constructing foot-over bridges on a PPP basis in 2005, we were unable to employ a consultant for design, preparation of estimates and issuance of tenders as the consultant short-listed by us did not turn up leading us to re-examine the whole issue. After making changes, an in-principle approval was accorded by the competent authority for construction of foot-over bridges and subways at these locations.' "Also as per a meeting held with the Minister of State for Urban Development in November 2007, the NDMC chairman had agreed to put the project on fast track to ensure commencement of construction by February and completion of work by December. Accordingly DIMTS was engaged as consultants for the project in December 2007 and they submitted their presentation in April itself,' he added.