Delhi PWD starts survey for ORR-Press Enclave Marg link

New DelhiThe Public Works Department (PWD) has initiated the process of constructing a link road between Press Enclave Marg and the Outer Ring Road in Sheikh Sarai, to provide an additional route for traffic in one of south Delhi’s congested corridors

New Delhi

The Press Enclave Marg, a 3.7-kilometre stretch connecting Sri Aurobindo Marg and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, remains perennially congested due to large commercial and public establishments on both sides of the two-lane stretch. (Representative photo)

The Public Works Department (PWD) has initiated the process of constructing a link road between Press Enclave Marg and the Outer Ring Road in Sheikh Sarai, to provide an additional route for traffic in one of south Delhi’s congested corridors.

The department is conducting a physical survey of the proposed road alignment and surrounding areas using GPS-enabled total station equipment—combining optical tools with satellite mapping—to gather the technical details needed before construction of the link road can begin.

An official aware of the development said, “The survey will cover an area of around 100,000 square metres. It will map existing roads, structures, drainage and sewerage lines, water lines, electrical and telephone lines, road levels, roundabouts, trees and other permanent and temporary features. The exercise will also examine metro and railway properties in the area, and prepare detailed coordinates and levels that can be used for planning the proposed road.”

The proposed link road was initially approved in principle by the governing body of Delhi’s Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning & Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC) in November 2008. The proposal was intended to reduce traffic load on the existing road network. In 2012, UTTIPEC directed that the road project be implemented and that encroachments on the required land be removed and handed over to roadowning agencies.

In 2024, the Delhi High Court was informed by the government that a modified proposal had been approved in principle and that Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) indicated the work was expected to be undertaken along with the proposed bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor between Ambedkar Nagar and Moolchand. However, the work remained stalled and was eventually put on hold.

The Press Enclave Marg, a 3.7-kilometre stretch connecting Sri Aurobindo Marg and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, remains perennially congested due to large commercial and public establishments on both sides of the two-lane stretch. The road serves several major destinations, including shopping malls, hospitals and the Saket district court area.

A PWD survey in 2025 reported peak-hour traffic of around 9,000 passenger car units (PCUs) in the morning and 10,000 PCUs in the evening.

PWD has identified unauthorised parking, encroachments, narrow carriageway sections and junctions as factors contributing to congestion. In 2024, the department considered shifting the central verge at the Mandir Marg intersection and making the stretch signal-free to improve traffic movement, but it remained on paper.

Officials said that the final alignment, length, construction cost and completion timeline for the road will be finalised once the surveys are complete.