For the last two months, the dilapidated footpaths on streets around Shivaji Stadium in Connaught Place have been undergoing massive overhaul.

The NDMC is focussing on their renovation. The emphasis is on roads bordering the venues under it ¿ the Shivaji Stadium and Talkatora Stadium. The idea is to get them ready for the Commonwealth Games which is less than 365 days away.

Currently four roads — Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Sardar Patel Marg, Mother Teresa Crescent, Sardar Patel Marg and Mandir Marg — are being renovated.

In a couple of months, work will resume on four others.

Once ready, the roads will have modern, disabled-friendly bus stops, public conveniences and wide pavements. Road signages are being changed to conform to international standards and street furniture is to set new benchmarks. The NDMC is also planning modern kiosks to sell food, flowers and stationary.

The streetscaping will involve signboards pertaining to pedestrian crossings — directions like “give way”, and names of important buildings along with directions.

The bus queue shelters will have provisions for lighting and advertisements that would help recover the building cost.

Built on a build-operate-transfer basis, such shelters already stand at 197 spots in the NDMC areas.

The NDMC’s Horticulture Department will also chip in, planting shrubs and grasses on the sides of footpaths. Irrigation lines will be laid on both sides of roads ¿ with the water being sourced from borewells, pumps and rainwater storage tanks.

“While it is important to have beautiful roads near the CWG venues, it is also important that the roads connecting them to other areas should also get a makeover,” said an NDMC official.

... contd.