Chirag Delhi flyover closure: Make most of road space, issue alerts, say experts

The Public Works Department had earlier announced a 50-day plan to repair expansion joints on the flyover. In the first phase, from Sunday midnight, the Nehru Place to IIT carriageway was shut for 25 days. Once repaired, the opposite carriageway will be closed for traffic for the next 25 days.

Experts on Monday listed a series of measures such installing video screens flashing traffic alerts, deploying additional marshals to manage traffic and using the existing carriageway to facilitate two-way traffic on the Chirag Delhi flyover during the lean hours even as the closure of the elevated road led to snarls on the entire Outer Ring Road stretch.

Jam at Savitri Cinema flyover. On Monday, congestion on the Chirag Delhi flyover extended up to Nehru Place and Kalkaji with thousands of vehicles being funnelled into the narrow road beneath the flyover to be diverted to alternative routes. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

The Public Works Department had earlier announced a 50-day plan to repair expansion joints on the flyover. In the first phase, from Sunday midnight, the Nehru Place to IIT carriageway was shut for 25 days. Once repaired, the opposite carriageway will be closed for traffic for the next 25 days.

On Monday, the traffic jams on the flyover extended up to Nehru Place and Kalkaji with thousands of vehicles being funnelled into the narrow road beneath the flyover to be diverted to alternative routes.

S Velmurugan, chief scientist and head of traffic engineering and safety division, Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), said the particular stretch on Outer Ring Road attracts heavy traffic volume as the area is a hub of commercial, residential, and office complexes. “Currently, the diversions may be in the form of an advisory but the traffic police may have to make it mandatory for vehicles to take the alternative routes to reduce the load on the Chirag Dilli intersection,” he added. Velmurugan added that agencies should explore better utilisation of Mehrauli Badarpur road as well as Sarita Vihar underpass for Saket-bound traffic.

Sewa Ram, professor of transport planning in the School of Planning and Architecture, said that traffic police should also explore if the second carriageway (from IIT to Nehru Place) can be used for traffic movement in both direction at the “critical intervals”.

“In the morning, the traffic towards Nehru place would be much heavier, but it would be lighter during the evening. After observing the situation for a few days, the agencies can take a call on using the one available carriageway for movement of traffic in both directions depending on demand level,” he added.

Experts also stressed that the commuters need to be warned about the situation in real-time and delays while approaching the route by using live signboards, traffic marshals and variable message screens.

Prof Ram said that since the Nehru Place to IIT carriageway is closed, the traffic is further like to increase along with the right turning traffic under the flyover. “The entire load of the carriageway has shifted on the surface level while the slip roads are not wide enough. The agencies will have to moderate the incoming traffic at Savitri Cinema, which should be a part of overall site management,” he added.

Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said the long traffic jams observed on Monday shows how inefficient the traffic circulation network was in the area. “All surrounding large neighbourhoods load traffic onto this high capacity corridor, but the street network around the area is inadequate for efficient traffic dispersal. But this is also a reminder of the inordinate delay in scaling up integrated public transport system with efficient last mile connectivity and vehicle restraint measures in the city,” Roychowdhury added.

Meanwhile, the local RWAs have demanded urgent interventions.

Sanjay Rana, general secretary of Greater Kailash-2 residents welfare association, said the locals are frustrated with the experience on the first day. “Just to exit the Greater Kailash area, we need 45 minutes to 1 hour. We saw that the police was managing traffic even outside Greater Kailash police station. Why do they need 50 days in this age and day to repair the flyover joints?”

He added that agencies should first take up large scale encroachment removal drives on alternative routes such as Govindpuri, Savitri cinema and CR Park.