NEW DELHI: It is fairly likely that, contrary to Public Works Department officials’ claim that they will stick to the schedule to complete the extension of the Ashram flyover by November-end, the deadline will have to be extended. “PWD hasn’t even started work on the ramps, approach roads and the actual connection with the DND Flyway,” pointed out S Velmurugan, chief scientist (traffic engineering and safety biodata), Central Road Research Institute. “All this work will take time. My estimate is that it will take at least six more months to complete the project.” Traffic police officers too felt that given the current state of the work, it is highly unlikely to be over by November-end. An officer said, “There is a lot of work that is yet to be completed. Finishing the project will take some more time.” The work of erecting the supporting pillars is going on. After this, the carriageways will be constructed. Ramps, footpaths, streetlights and signage are as yet only on the blueprint. A high-ranking PWD official said, “Despite the circumstances, we were trying to complete the construction by November itself. There is, therefore, no change in our deadline as of now.” However, other officials privately felt that the extension of the existing flyover would take at least till December-end to finish, the third possible delay this year. Just a month ago, PWD minister and deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia had announced that the project would be over by November. On the affected roads, movement has worsened. The impact of the construction activities is felt every day at Sarai Kale Khan and Moolchand, with the vehicular load on Ashram heavy through the day. It is normal now to run into heavy congestion if driving from Sarai Kale Khan to south Delhi via Ashram. What is more, the work on the flyover extension has damaged Ring Road, forcing vehicles to slow down. At the intersection near DND flyway, the Ring Road traffic coming from Sarai Kale Khan merges with the traffic coming from Noida via the flyway. The exit arm of the flyway with its three lanes and Ring Road’s three lanes then constrict themselves into the three lanes going towards Ashram, becoming in the process a natural bottleneck on the heavily used road. Being built at an estimated cost of Rs 128 crore, the new flyover will be integrated with the existing flyover. It will take the load of the traffic on Ring Road coming from the direction of Lajpat Nagar and going towards DND and vice-versa. After the completion of the underpass at Ashram Chowk, traffic congestion has reduced to an extent. The underpass, which facilitates vehicular movement from the direction of Bhogal and going towards Apollo Hospitals without having to halt at the traffic lights at the busy intersection, itself missed many deadlines before being opened for trial on March 22.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/delhi-ashram-flyover-extension-may-miss-november-date/articleshow/94926075.cms
