The High Court took strong exception to the apathy shown by the Government, Traffic Police and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for not complying with its order on decongesting the busy single-lane flyover at Rao Tula Ram (RTR) Marg connecting the airport, saying money is flushed “down the drain”. “You (Government and other authorities) had to comply with our order and directions, but you have not done so,” a bench of justices BD Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva said.
“It is money down the drain, let me tell you this,” remarked Justice Sachdeva with respect to the lack of work done by the Public Works Department (PWD). In response, the PWD said it had already showed the bench, by way of presentation and maps, the measures it intends to take, like removing encroachments from the alternative roads and preventing parking on them, to decongest traffic. It said that subsequent to it apprising the court about these measures, PWD was allowed to go on with its project of building a three-lane flyover from Munirka till Army Research and Referral Hospital on the Outer Ring Road, parallel to the existing Rao Tula Ram flyover.
The residents of Vasant Vihar, who have filed an application alleging “abject failure” on the part of PWD to comply with court directions, contended that encroachments are still present on the Nelson Mandela Marg junction as well as DDA bypass road. They have sought that till PWD and other authorities ensure that traffic is decongested, they be not allowed to go ahead with their flyover project.
The bench, however, remarked that no useful discussion could be had without having a map of the area and listed the matter for further hearing on September 9. It also issued notice to the city Government and other authorities and asked them to file status reports in response to the contentions made in a fresh application moved by residents of Vasant Vihar.
In their application, the Vasant Vihar residents have alleged that the authorities have failed to comply with the court’s October 28, 2014 directions to decongest traffic in the area. The court had said that “alternative measures discussed for decongesting traffic to and from the airport, particularly, at the T-junction joining Nelson Mandela Marg and the Outer Ring Road as also the entry point after Ryan International School from Mehrauli-Mahipalpur Road to the DDA road, shall be made operational within two weeks.” It had said the authorities shall make an endeavour to make operational every route they intend to use during diversion of traffic while building the flyover.