Delhi govt aims to open Barapullah Ph-3 by year-end

In an inspection of the project on the day, Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Verma hurdles that have delayed the project by seven years were cleared

New Delhi

The project is delayed by seven years at present. (HT Archive)

The Delhi government on Monday, in a review of the Barapullah Flyover Phase-3, said the project will be ready by the year-end and is likely to open for traffic by December.

In an inspection of the project on the day, Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Verma hurdles that have delayed the project by seven years were cleared and the PWD was looking at legal recourse to shift trees, which has held up a small portion of the flyover.

“I had visited the site last time in February, when the department and contractor had raised some concerns. Their payments have been cleared and other issues have also been resolved. We can see that a lot of construction work has also happened since we last visited. It is May and our target is to open the flyover by December,” Verma said.

The Barapullah Phase-3 project will improve connectivity among east, south and New Delhi and decongest the Nizamuddin Bridge, Bhairon Marg and Ashram Chowk on Ring Road. The flyover will connect Mayur Vihar with Sarai Kale Khan through a signal-free stretch. It is likely to cut the travel time between east and south Delhi to about 20 minutes.

Construction of the 3.5km stretch of the Barapullah elevated road began in April 2015, with a deadline of October 2017. The road has been half-built from both sides, with a small missing link over the Yamuna that has been under litigation due to the private ownership of a 2.5-acre land parcel. Land litigation hurdles were cleared last year and the acquisition was completed. However, currently, the project necessitates the felling of 274 trees, and permission for it has been pending from the forest department for the past two years.

“We need permission to shift trees from both sides of the flyover so that this long-pending work can be completed, which is being actively pursued now. The matter has already been sent to the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and we are hopeful that we will get the necessary approvals soon,” Verma said on Monday.

Officials said that over 90% of the work has already been completed and that the stretch will remain barricaded till it is connected with the Sarai Kale Khan side. They said black-topping at expansion joints, every 40 metres, can only be done once the missing link is constructed.

While approving the last patch of land transfer in November last year, the lieutenant governor said that the six-year delay has increased the project cost by ₹362.37 crore and the government will end up paying ₹1,326.37 crore, against a tender of ₹964 crore.

During his last visit, Verma directed officials to ensure that roads and flyovers are built to last 10-15 years without needing any repair.