Things are about to change for the Delhi skyline: a series of 40 feet tall steel installations, along with 400 smaller ones, would be built at the AIIMS roundabout by this November-end.

And to make the structures a “scenic wonder”, special LED lights would illuminate them by night.

The project, titled ‘Sprout’, aims to symbolise progress made by the country since Independence, and its march forward. “The plan of installing a steel sculpture came up two years ago during a book release function attended by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit,” N C Mathur, senior project manager of ‘Project Sprout’, said. “She expressed her concern over getting the city ready for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in time, and we offered help.”

Driving past the roundabout at present, one sees large mounds of mud in varying sizes dotting the islands. These are part of landscaping activities being carried out under the supervision of landscape architect Ravi Punde. “We will have several mounds that will give the islands a rhythm, with Kadam trees around the perimeter giving a forest feel,” Punde said. “We chose the sacred Kadam tree since it is medicinal and gives a stately feel of a forest.”

Punde’s architecture firm Design Cell is giving finishing touches to the work.

The steel installation will be designed by city-based artiste Vibhor Sogani; Chief Minister Dikshit chose his design of a large steel globe supported on a steel pillar for the project. There will be eight 40 feet installations at one traffic island, and 400 smaller ones on another island, at the roundabout. “The design shows the progress being made by the country’s youth,” Mathur said.

Work on the installations will start by the second week of September and will take two months to complete. The AIIMS roundabout was selected because of its central location, and since it is one of the major intersections in the city, Mathur explained.

The most expensive part of the project is installing eight special LED lights imported from a UK-based manufacturer, costing Rs 1.75 lakh each. These lights can give out different colours and will be used to highlight sculptures on the islands. “They will have three colours that change at regular intervals,” Mathur said. “The lights will remain switched on till midnight.”

The project is estimated to cost between Rs 2.5 crore and Rs 3 crore; the projected monthly maintenance expenditure is Rs 1.5 lakh.