The Delhi government has decided to construct a six-lane flyover from Majnu ka Tila to Chandgi Ram Akhara T-point, also known as Metcalf House Crossing on Outer Ring Road to decongest the area between Civil Lines and Signature Bridge.

According to the plan, the Public Works Department (PWD) will construct a 680 metres long six-lane flyover starting near the Civil Lines Trauma Centre and the DRDO office.

This road intervention will be specifically designed for the Metcalf House T-Junction where the outer ring road and Hegdewar road merge.  A sum of Rs 183 crore has been allocated to the PWD to execute the project.

“This flyover is a major step towards building a modern, efficient and commuter-friendly road network in the national capital.”

“This project will help decongest one of North Delhi’s busiest intersections. Our goal is to improve travel time, reduce stress on arterial roads and ensure better mobility across Delhi,” Delhi PWD’s minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma said. The project was found feasible after a study done by the PWD and the report was presented to the chief secretary last month.

The flyover will also have an impact on traffic moving towards ITO and nearby areas.

The two-kilometre stretch on the Outer Ring Road from Chandgi Ram Akhada to Majnu Ka Tila faces heavy traffic jams during peak hours as well as non-peak hours due to frequent traffic signals.

This strategic intervention will facilitate smooth traffic for residents of Civil Lines and nearby areas while also streamlining inter-state movement towards northern states such as Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.

Once completed, the project will bring substantial relief to thousands of daily commuters and improve road safety and efficiency.

Majnu Ka Tila is one of the fastest-growing food destinations in the national capital  and a spot favoured by the Delhi University students.

It offers a range of pan-Asian cuisine and was also selected by the Delhi government under its food hub policy. This has meant that the area sees a lot of pedestrian movement. The PWD aimed to execute the project within a time-bound framework with minimal disruption to the public during construction.

The department is working closely with Delhi Traffic Police to ensure alternate arrangements and continuous updates to commuters.

The section of Ring Road, about 3.4km from Chandgi Ram Akhada to the Wazirabad, was considered as a highly congested corridor.

The government said the PWD aims to execute the project within a time-bound framework “with minimal disruption to the public during construction”.

“The department is working closely with Delhi Traffic Police to ensure alternate arrangements and continuous updates to commuters,” it said in a statement.

The project was conceived in 2008 but delayed due to the Commonwealth Games 2010. In 2011, it was submitted to the DUAC for clearance but the PWD was first asked to get approval from the UTTIPEC.

Persistent traffic congestion has been observed along the outer ring road from Salimgarh Fort to Signature Bridge for the past several years.

The PWD carried out road widening work last year in front of Majnu Ka Tila monastery area, which is heavily congested at any time of the day.

“The issue has been raised repeatedly by local residents, market associations and various public stakeholders. Once completed, the project will bring substantial relief to thousands of daily commuters and improve road safety and efficiency,” the statement added.

The project would involve construction of back to back U-turns underneath the flyover and construction of footpaths.