Nand Nagri flyover opens in Delhi after several delays

Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Verma, blaming the previous government, said that the flyover opening was delayed by at least one year and three months

New Delhi

The six-lane 1.4-kilometre single-pillar flyover forms a key component of the plan to make the Wazirabad Road, also known as Mangal Pandey Road, totally signal-free, from Signature Bridge to the Uttar Pradesh border. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday inaugurated the much-awaited flyover at Nand Nagri-Gagan Cinema junction on northeast Delhi’s Mangal Pandey Road (Wazirabad Road), after several delays.

The six-lane 1.4-kilometre single-pillar flyover forms a key component of the plan to make the Wazirabad Road, also known as Mangal Pandey Road, totally signal-free, from Signature Bridge to the Uttar Pradesh border.

At the inauguration ceremony, chief minister Gupta said, “The work on the flyover that had been stalled for years was promptly followed up by our government as soon as we took office. Today, the Nand Nagri flyover has been completed at a cost of ₹180 crore, marking a new milestone. I want to assure residents of east Delhi, who have got a new flyover and 300 new EV buses. The Trans-Yamuna area is critical for Delhi and our government will expedite its development.”

Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Verma, blaming the previous government, said that the flyover opening was delayed by at least one year and three months. He said that over 100,000 commuters will pass through this route every day, and on average, will save 14 minutes of commute time.

“Permission to relocate 27 trees was awaited but no MLA or minister from the previous government was following up the matter. They were busy with opening liquor vends and Sheesh Mahal but ignored public welfare works. Now, we are not making any excuses like them. We have also approved a foot overbridge near this flyover. An underpass worth ₹80 crore will also be made on the road and tender will be floated soon,” he said.

The minister said that 27 trees were affected, and the flyover would help reduce pollution by a load equivalent to 35,000 trees per day. “If the trees had been transplanted, we would have prevented pollution equivalent to 35,000 trees. Similarly, Barapullah flyover was delayed due to 250 trees but the hurdle has been cleared and we promise to operationalise it in 10 months,” he said.

Work on the Nand Nagari flyover started in February 2023 and it was initially expected to be opened by July 2024. Besides elevated corridors, it includes development of footpaths, improvement of road, drainage revamp and rainwater harvesting. The project has faced hurdles in the form of tree transplantation and utility transfer along its alignment.

The Wazirabad Road corridor, stretching seven kilometres, has historically suffered from chaotic junctions and multiple traffic exits, resulting in long snarls, officials said. This corridor is used by commuters travelling between north Delhi and Uttar Pradesh and it also connects several highly congested colonies of northeast Delhi, such as Dilshad Garden, Nand Nagri, Sarhad Puri, Gonda, Karawal Nagar, Mustafabad, and Gokalpuri.

To fix this, the Delhi government adopted a dual strategy. First, a 1.3-km-long double-decker flyover, being constructed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), to cater to both Metro and vehicular traffic. Secondly, a 1.4-km single-pillar flyover, including the Nand Nagri stretch. Thirdly, an underpass is to be developed at the Loni roundabout, which is likely to take around 15 months.

Together, the two flyovers and the underpass are set to eliminate traffic signals along the corridor, allowing seamless movement between Delhi and Ghaziabad.

While clearing the project, the government had said that those who need to travel to the Bhopura border via Signature Bridge will have a signal-free ride and the travel time will reduce to half of the current commuting time of around 30 minutes.