HC seeks timeline for FOB at Rajputana Rifles base

The Public Works Department (PWD) has started the geotechnical survey for a foot overbridge (FOB) near the Rajputana Rifles headquarters in Dhaula Kuan, officials aware of the matter said on Wednesday.

- Arnabjit Sur

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Wednesday called for a final plan for the construction of a foot overbridge (FOB) for the Rajputana Rifles, the oldest rifle regiment of the Indian Army located in Delhi Cantonment, and directed the agencies concerned to hold a joint meeting next month in this regard.

A division bench of justices Pratibha M Singh and Manmeet Arora was presiding over the case, which was initiated suo motu after the court took cognizance of a report published by HT last month.

The report highlighted the ordeal of over 3,000 soldiers of the regiment who were forced to march through a smelly culvert—which overflows during rains—four times a day to head to their parade ground as authorities failed to build an FOB.

The bench directed the stakeholders—Public Works Department, Delhi Cantonment Board and the Delhi Traffic Police—to hold a joint meeting in July to brainstorm an immediate solution for the construction of a bridge for the convenience of the soldiers.

"Let a plan be finalised for the construction of the FOB and a report be submitted on the budget, design and timeline of its construction," the bench said. It added that the cost of the construction shall be borne by PWD, after noting that a plan to construct a bridge was approved several years back, but no action had been taken yet.