Delhi, on Sunday evening, finally saw the inauguration of the Signature Bridge, 14 years after its conceptualization.
The bridge was unveiled by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and will be open to public from Monday. The grand launch was followed by a spectacular laser show.
बधाई हो दिल्ली… pic.twitter.com/Wk9QAN9QuP
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 4, 2018
Sisodia had invited all the citizens of Delhi to be part of the inauguration. “The whole of Delhi is welcome. It’s a matter of pride for the city,” he had tweeted.
बधाई दिल्ली…. लाल किला, कुतुब मीनार, इंडिया गेट, राष्ट्रपति भवन, लोटस टेम्पल, अक्षरधाम मंदिर के साथ साथ अब दुनिया में नई पहचान के लिए मिला – सिग्नेचर ब्रिज…. pic.twitter.com/OHb0Fw4hEm
— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) November 4, 2018
The Signature Bridge is built over the Yamuna river and is aimed at reducing the travel time between North and North- east Delhi. The bridge, which has a 675 metre-long cable-stayed section, will share the burden of the Wazirabad bridge and connect the Outer Ring Road on the western bank of the river to the Wazirabad Road on the eastern side.
Delhi’s Signature Bridge is the first asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge in India which will enable and will offer a panoramic view of the city. There will be four elevators that will carry a total of 50 people to the top of the bridge with designated spots specially for people to take selfies. The elevators are likely to start operating in about two months, as per an official.
“The bridge will also be a tourist spot with the 154-metre-high glass box that offers an eagle eye view of the city”, said Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in a media statement.
The bridge was initially approved in 1997 after a school bus fell off the narrow Wazirabad bridge into the Yamuna river, leaving 22 children dead. The work on the project, however, began only in 2008 and costs were escalated as well due to the delay.