Delhi LG lays foundation stone of clock tower on Shankar Road

     New Delhi, Aug 11 (PTI) Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Monday laid the foundation stone of a clock tower on central Delhi's Shankar Road.
     The tower, to come up at the junction of Shankar Road and Mandir Marg (near Talkatora Stadium), is being built by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and will be 27 metres tall.
     The construction of the project has been approved by the Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC), according to an official statement.
     The sides of the octagonal tower would be 1.2 metres each and will be constructed with reinforced cement concrete and clay bricks.
     With a project timeline of six months and an estimated cost of Rs 1.80 crore, the structure is designed to be a blend of Hindu, Mughal, and Colonial architecture, the statement said.
     The LG said the clock tower by NDMC will script a new chapter in the urban redevelopment of the national capital.
     "This grand Clock Tower at Mandir Marg is positioned at the strategic intersection of Mandir Marg and Shankar Road that serves as the gateway to the NDMC area and hence, would attract a large number of visitors, including daily passers-by," Saxena said in the statement.
     He said another clock tower is being constructed at the Sadbhavana Park on the Ring Road behind the Red Fort by the DDA and is likely to be completed by the end of the month.
     Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the Mandir Marg clock tower will witness the journey of "Viksit Bharat."
     "Its distinctive architecture will not only grace the skyline of New Delhi but also symbolise the spirit and identity of our nation. It will also reflect the progress of not only New Delhi but also the whole of Delhi under the Viksit Bharat," she said.
     According to the statement, the clock tower will be engineered to withstand both wind and seismic forces, resting on a robust RCC raft foundation.
     Its facade will feature exposed wire-cut brick cladding with meticulously finished joints, while the pedestal will be adorned with lather-finish black granite, combining elegance with durability through advanced mechanical anchoring techniques, it said.
     A stainless steel staircase with anti-skid finishes and safety handrails will facilitate internal maintenance.
     At its crown, a state-of-the-art, weather-resistant clock will be installed using vibration-resistant technology, it said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)