July 10, 2008. Within the next couple of years, visitors driving into Delhi will be greeted by huge 80-metre tall, futuristic steel structures overarching the highways leading into the Capital. 

The Delhi government has cleared the designs for seven entry points into the Capital. These points include Anand Vihar, Tikri border, Mayur Vihar-Noida Link Road, Shahdara border, Ghazipur border, Loni border and Nand Nagri-Bhopura border. 

In addition to beautification of these points, the Guru Teg Bahadur Memorial is coming up on National Highway 1, or the GT Highway. The memorial is being constructed by the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) and will be ready by March 2009, officials added. 

The structures, varying between 60 metres and 80 metres in height and 45 metres and 150 metres in length, will be made of stainless steel— similar to the structure near Gautam Budh Nagar in Noida. They will be lit by fibre optic lights set within the structure. The road leading to the entry point will also have specially designed streetlights. 

Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta said the structures will be in place by March 2010. “We will be ready six months before the Commonwealth Games begin in Delhi,” he said, adding that the tendering process will begin by next week. 

The beautification of the rest of the six points will be undertaken by the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). 

The beautification process includes enhancing greenery, revamping toll plazas and constructing restaurants along the stretch.The beautification process was conceptu alised by the Urban Development department of the Delhi government for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.