Huge sinkhole under IIT-Delhi flyover repaired, traffic resumes

An official told news agency PTI that the cavity was 40 feet long and 12 feet wide and workers were very careful while conducting the repair work.

The massive sinkhole that appeared on the road under the IIT-Delhi flyover on Saturday was repaired overnight and traffic resumed on Sunday. Officials said that the repair work was completed in ‘record time’ by workers of the Delhi Jal Board and the Public Works Department.

Section of a road caved in under IIT Delhi flyover in New Delhi. (Raj K Raj / Hindustan Times)

“The tireless efforts of our @DelhiJalBoard officials have restored the broken water pipeline before yesterday midnight under the IIT flyover. Thereafter, our @pwddelhi officials worked round the clock and repaired the sunken road under the IIT flyover in record time,” Delhi minister Satyender Jain said in a tweet. He further added that the water supply that was affected in several areas due to the sinkhole resumed by midnight.

An official told news agency PTI that the cavity was 40 feet long and 12 feet wide and workers were very careful while conducting the repair work. Due to the cavity on the road, the Delhi traffic police asked commuters to take alternative routes. The PWD said that the cavity occurred due to a leak in an underground Delhi Jal Board (DJB) line.

Officials also said that the repair work was of complex nature due to the pipeline under but as traffic was stalled, repair work was done in a speedy manner. “Now we have allowed straight traffic on Aurobindo Marg by repairing the road. Efforts are still on for repairing the side lane on Outer Ring Road,” a PWD official was quoted as saying by PTI. The crossing is now open for regular traffic.

However, police officials said that an associated deep sewer work by the Delhi Jal Board is underway at the at-grade road towards IIT-Delhi. “Vehicles coming on Aurobindo Marg from AlIIMS would not be able to turn right on the at-grade road towards IIT-Delhi. Vehicles coming along the at-grade road along IIT flyover from Outer Ring Road, Panchsheel side would not be able to go straight across the IIT crossing,” a statement said.

It also said that only one lane would be available for traffic coming from Adchini on Aurobindo Marg. “Due to the current scenario, vehicles coming from AIIMS on Aurobindo Marg and seeking to turn right towards IIT can take a left turn on Outer Ring Road, take a U-turn under Panchsheel flyover/Panchsheel Crossing and use the IIT flyover to cross over towards IIT-Delhi. Alternatively, they can go straight on Aurobindo Marg and take a U-turn at Mother’s International School T-point or from Adichini T-point,” the statement said.

“All commercial vehicles on Aurobindo Marg from Mehrauli, seeking to take a left turn towards IIT-Delhi at the crossing, can take a left turn at Adichini Crossing on Shaheed Jeet Singh Marg. They can go towards Aruna Asif Ali Marg, Vedant Deshika Marg for their onward travel,” it further added.