The long pending plan of a two-lane flyover and an underpass on Mehrauli-Badarpur Road scheduled to start by March has once again got stuck as the project of Public Works Department (PWD) clashes with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Phase IV Metro alignment which is coming on the same corridor.
The Mehrauli-Badarpur project comprises three more projects, such as two-tier flyover between IGNOU Road intersection and Ravidas Marg intersection, six-lane flyover between Maa Anandmayi Marg and Badarpur Road.
“Phase-IV Metro alignment is also coming in this corridor. The proposal is under consideration of both PWD/DMRC. Final drawing will be submitted after alignment is finalised with the DMRC. PWD and DMRC are conducting regular meetings to solve the issue,” an official said. A DMRC official said the Phase-IV metro projects work and updates on it will start only after the elections are over.
According to the Delhi Traffic Police, a heavy jam on this stretch, especially at the T-point and signal near the Qutub Minar, is a daily affair. More than 7,000 vehicles pass through this route per hour during the morning peak hours and 4,000 vehicles during the evening peak hours, it said.
“It is one of the busiest routes of the national Capital and due to improper road designs of the stretch, commuters and traffic police face hardship,” said a senior traffic police official.
The work on the proposed four-lane flyover near Qutub Minar traffic signal and Anuvrat T Point on Aurobindo Marg, where the Mehrauli Badarpur Road meets, was expected to begin in January 2019. However, it is hanging in the balance. The project, which was part of the Mehrauli decongestion plan, was proposed to ease traffic near Qutub Minar traffic signal for commuters who travel from Aurobindo Marg to Gurugram.
Sources said after some portions of the proposed roads/flyovers adjoining Tughklakabad fort was hit by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), a 2+2 lane underpass at Tughlakabad fort was proposed to be built in the range of 100m from ASI site i.e Tughlakabad Fort and Ghiyasuddin Tughlak Tomb. The ASI rules ban construction within the 100m radius of protected monuments.
A report said, “The Aerocity-Tughlakabad metro corridor under Phase-IV project of DMRC is “clashing with the viaduct of PWD’s flyover project”. This upcoming metro route is to connect Tughlakabad and the airport corridor will have 15 stations: Aerocity, Mahipalpur, Vasant Kunj Sector-D, Masoodpur, Kishangarh, Mehrauli, Lado Sarai, Saket, Saket G Block, Ambedkar Nagar, Khanpur, Tigri, Anandmayee Marg Junction, Tughlakabad Railway Colony and Tughlakabad.
