Around 135 bollards on Vikas Marg ‘vandalised’, PWD files complaint

It also said, "So far at least 100 bollards have been deliberately broken which have been replaced by the PWD. However, 35 bollards were still found damaged..."

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The bollards were part of a streetscaping project. Archive

Around 135 bollards, worth around Rs 4 lakh, installed on the footpath on the recently streetscaped stretch from Nirman Vihar to Vijay Chowk on the Vikas Marg in Laxmi Nagar, have allegedly been damaged and vandalised, said Public Works Department (PWD) officials.

The PWD officials have also filed a complaint with Shakarpur Police station demanding “strict vigil” at night and increased patrolling on the Vikas Marg stretch to prevent such incidents and catch culprits. “…These bollards/government property is constantly being vandalised by miscreants to fulfil their needs for encroachments of government land,” read the complaint by a PWD engineer.
It also said, “So far at least 100 bollards have been deliberately broken which have been replaced by the PWD. However, 35 bollards were still found damaged…”

According to a senior PWD official, the bollards are being broken on the 700-metre-long stretch from Nirman Vihar to Vijay Chowk. Several shops are situated in the area. Officials said that on the stretch, a total 1,200 bollards were installed, of which nearly 135 have been broken. “We have replaced 100 bollards but 35 are still damaged,” said an official.

During a spot check, bollards at a few places were found broken. The bollards made of fibre cost Rs 1200-Rs 1500, and the concrete ones, made of red sandstones or granite, range between Rs 5,000-6,000, said the official.

“The upkeep of the stretch is becoming a tough task. We have segregated the space for pedestrians and street vendors. But despite that, the bollards are being deliberately vandalised,” said a senior PWD official.

Officials added, “Now, we see street vendors are back with their stalls again on the footpath, where the bollards have been broken. We have CCTV footage that clearly shows people damaging the bollards. Police need to increase patrolling and take action. This is not the first complaint, such incidents have taken place in other stretches but no action has been taken yet…”