Delhi: Loni underpass stuck, traffic relief now 1.5 years away

Work on the Loni underpass project has yet to begin more than two and a half years after receiving government approval and funding

Commuters travelling from Signature Bridge towards Ghaziabad and facing daily traffic snarls at the Loni roundabout may have to endure the chaos for at least another 1.5 years. Work on the Loni underpass project — critical to easing congestion on this route — has yet to begin more than two and a half years after receiving government approval and funding.

Delhi: Loni underpass stuck, traffic relief now 1.5 years away

The ₹70-crore project, announced by the Delhi government in September 2022 as part of efforts to make the Signature Bridge to Ghaziabad stretch signal-free, remains mired in delays caused by encroachments, tree cutting, and utility relocations. Despite earlier promises that the underpass would be ready by December 2024, the public works department (PWD) now says it will take 15 months just to complete construction after the site is cleared.

In its official report March 27, 2025, the PWD stated that an administrative approval and expenditure sanction for ₹70 crore had been granted on September 30, 2022. “There are multiple hurdles along the alignment of the underpass such as cutting of trees, relocation of Delhi Jal Board pipelines and encroachments. The work on clearing these hurdles is taking place. This is why there has been a delay in initiating the construction work on the underpass,” the agency said. It added that after the site is cleared, the underpass would require 15 more months to be built.

Loni Chowk remains one of the busiest junctions in north-east Delhi, handling heavy vehicular movement between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

The roundabout caters to traffic coming from Loni Road and vehicles moving from Signature Bridge towards Ghaziabad, Hindon and Loni via Wazirabad Road. A PWD official noted, “Traffic jams are observed for vehicles moving between RTO to east of Loni Road. The underpass at Loni Chowk in the direction of Durgapuri from RTO will take away this load. Vehicles travelling between Loni Border and Durgapuri will not have to stop at Loni Chowk and the traffic jam at the roundabout will be completely eliminated.”

Surendra Kumar, MLA from Gokalpur, expressed frustration over the lack of progress. “There are vagabonds living on the site where the underpass is to be made. The plan has been approved; funds have been allocated but the agency has failed to even clear the site in the last two years. People waste so much fuel and time during morning and evening peak hours stuck at the roundabout,” he said.

According to project details, the four-lane underpass will span 555 metres, with a 7.5-metre wide carriageway. It will be located at the intersection of Mangal Pandey Road and Loni Road. The ramp towards Loni Border will be 230 metres long, while the second ramp towards Durgapuri Chowk will stretch 265 metres, connected by a 60-metre underground section. The project also includes provisions for improving nearby roads, pedestrian pathways, greening, and streetscaping.

Experts have attributed the persistent congestion to the intermixing of local and interstate traffic, alongside largescale movement of heavy trucks serving the nearby industrial areas.

The project was initially cleared by the expenditure finance committee in September 2022, with the PWD announcing that it would take 1.5 years to complete and would help to make the 10km stretch from Signature Bridge to the Uttar Pradesh border signal-free.

Dr. S. Velmurugan, Chief Scientist at CRRI, said NHAI requires 90% of land to be cleared before starting any project. “If the site isn’t fully available, the project faces multiple hurdles. It’s surprising the PWD hasn’t relocated utilities in two years—moving power and water lines should be straightforward,” he added.

Sarvesh Gupta, a Loni resident, said the Gol Chakkar area faces heavy encroachments. “Both sides of Loni Road are occupied, causing jams, chaos, and even crimes. Recently, a patient died in an ambulance stuck in traffic. Authorities must act on encroachments.”

Himanshu Dadheech, another commuter, mentioned that the 3-km stretch near Loni-Delhi border often experiences traffic jams, with no traffic police on site to manage it.