NEW DELHI: Traffic flow in south Delhi, already hit by renovation and construction projects at multiple stretches, may worsen with the PWD likely to carry out repairs at the newly built Benito Juarez underpass in the coming week. The underpass, which eases commutes between Lutyens’ Delhi and Gurgaon/Dwarka via Rao Tularam Marg, was to be shut for repairs from Saturday. However, on Friday evening, PWD was considering delaying the work for a few days. Earlier, the traffic police had given an NOC for the weeklong repairs to start from Saturday.With work on at Chirag Dilli flyover, diversions on a stretch of NH-48 and the Ashram flyover not yet fully functional, the underpass closure may extend the traffic mess to more stretches.Benito Juarez Marg: Brace for diversions The underpass on Benito Juarez Marg, built recently to ease commutes to IGI Airport, Gurgaon and Dwarka from central and south Delhi, and vice versa, is scheduled to be closed for repairs to fix a problem of seepage and waterlogging, a PWD official said.”There is a drain inside the underpass that we need to connect to another drain which we will construct so that water can flow out easily. This will take about a week. Since the underpass is built on a rocky structure, we aren’t clear about the source of the water,” the PWD official said. The official added that they had received the NOC from the traffic police to begin work from Saturday but now they are contemplating a suitable date. “If not Saturday, we could do it from Sunday. We are deciding how to go about it as other parts of the city are too undergoing repair works. We are also seeing if we can open the underpass during the day and shut it during the night. We will have another meeting to come to a final decision,” the official added.Sources in the traffic police stated that they were prepared with their diversion plan. “Those travelling from San Martin Marg will be directed towards Abai Marg then Sardar Patel Marg and then towards Dhaula Kuan for Gurgaon. Commuters coming from the other direction will have to take the Outer Ring Road to reach their destinations. We were informed on Friday evening around 8pm that the PWD was reconsidering whether to shut the underpass from Saturday or Sunday or in the coming week. We have already given the NOC so now they need to tell us when they would like to begin the work,” said a traffic official.The Benito Juarez underpass was inaugurated on July 2 last year by then deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia. It was originally planned as a one-way route for traffic coming from Gurgaon. However, it was soon opened for traffic on both sides.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/1-more-pain-point-in-south-delhi-as-key-underpass-may-shut/articleshow/98744353.cms
