Environmentalists in the capital are opposing the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's plan to construct two bridges across the river Yamuna, one at Kalindi Kunj (Okhla Barrage) on Line 8, and the other on the Mukandpur-Yamuna Vihar corridor. The tender for design and construction of the bridge at Kalindi Kunj was floated recently (for previous story, go to www.projectsmonitor.com/RAIL/construction-of-bridge-for-delhi-metrorail). The tender for the bridge to be constructed on the Mukandpur-Yamuna Vihar corridor had been floated in June this year. Both the bridges are part of phase-III of the Delhi MRTS project.

According to Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan, an NGO engaged in campaigning for protection of the river, the proposed bridges are being opposed on two grounds. Firstly, DMRC has gone ahead with the tendering process for the projects without seeking approval from regulatory bodies, and secondly, the bridges would prevent flood water from flowing freely.

"The two bridges that DMRC plans to construct over the Yamuna are not actually bridges but raised embankments," Manoj Misra, Convener of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan, told Projectmonitor.

"Both the projects involve construction of road-cumbridge. The recommendations of the Delhi Development Authority sponsored 2005 National Environmental Engineering Research Institute report on environmental management plan for rejuvenation of Yamuna in the National Capital Territory clearly states that the river bed in the Delhi stretch has lost its carrying capacity and therefore any access road across the river should be created at the river bed level," he added.

Misra criticised DMRC for floating tender for the two projects without approaching the Yamuna Standing Committee and said the company was treating the process of securing approval from regulatory bodies as mere formality.

"DMRC is required to get approval from regulatory bodies like Yamuna Standing Committee, Delhi Urban Art Commission, Delhi Development Authority and Yamuna River Development Authority for these projects. In both the projects, the land use needs to be changed. The two bridges are going to be constructed on land meant for agriculture and water bodies. One cannot understand why DMRC is in such hurry. We have lodged a formal complaint with the Lt. Governor," he said.

A DMRC spokesperson said that tenders for the two bridges had been floated before securing approval from the regulatory bodies to save time.

"We are already in the process of seeking approval. Construction work will not start till the time the approvals are received," the spokesperson said.