Half open, tree-felling permit awaited for other side of Anand Vihar flyover

Once fully operational, the six-lane corridor is expected to reduce the traffic load on the surface road and help commuters bypass traffic snarls at Ramprastha Colony, Vivek Vihar, Shreshth Vihar

The Public Works Department (PWD) has begun trial runs on one carriageway of the Anand Vihar elevated corridor in east Delhi — a much-delayed 1.4-km project that will connect Anand Vihar and Apsara Border, along the Ghaziabad border in northeast Delhi.

Two large trees located in the middle of the carriageway are making the newly constructed flyover non-viable for use, officials said. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

Once fully operational, the six-lane corridor is expected to reduce the traffic load on the surface road — called Road number 56 — and help commuters bypass traffic snarls at Ramprastha Colony, Vivek Vihar, and Shreshth Vihar.

However, even as the department is carrying out finishing touches on this one carriageway — from Apsara Border to Anand Vihar — work on the opposite carriageway has stalled as PWD is yet to receive the nod to fell 113 trees for the project. In addition, two large trees are located in the middle of the carriageway, making it non-viable for use.

A PWD official associated with the project said: “We are allowing traffic for a few hours every day on a trial basis, especially during peak hours, to release stress on the surface level. However, commuters heading from Anand Vihar towards the Ghaziabad border are still taking the surface route as the carriageway is still not clear, and tree cutting permission is awaited.”

During a spot check at 3pm on Wednesday, HT found that at the entrance of the corridor at the Apsara Border side, there was a build up of traffic, and the queue of vehicles kept increasing as the peak rush hour got closer.

Meanwhile, the carriageway that is currently shut was blocked using barricades.

The official quoted above said that even if the forest department does not permit PWD to fell 113 trees, if they give permission to cut the two trees blocking the Anand Vihar to Apsara Border carriageway, the project will be ready by the end of September or in early October.

The forest department did not comment on the matter.

Work on the corridor began on September 10, 2022, and initially, PWD expected to complete it by December 8, 2023. However, the project has faced multiple delays and has missed deadlines due to multiple issues.

According to a PWD status report till July 31, the department has already incurred an expenditure of ₹100.48 crore. The department estimates that 148,000 vehicles will pass through this flyover daily.

Commuters, however, questioned the utility when the underlying surface-level road has eight lanes.

Rakesh Upadhyay, a frequent user of the route, said Road number 56 was a wide corridor with only two signals. “It may be the first time that the construction of a flyover has only added to traffic jams,” he said.