Plan to decongest Lutyens’ Delhi, reduce travel time to airport on the anvil

The proposal, sent to the NDMC, comprises two choices — one flyover or tunnel from Talkatora Stadium and another from Dayal Chowk, to the Dhaula Kuan flyover

The Delhi Traffic Police have proposed to connect New Delhi district to Dhaula Kuan flyover by a flyover or tunnel in order to decongest the Lutyens’ Delhi area and reduce travel time to the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, officers said on Monday.

As per the first suggestion in the proposal, a direct tunnel or flyover beginning near Talkatora Stadium moves southwest toward Dhaula Kuan. (Hindustan Times/File)

The proposal, sent to the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), comprises two choices — one flyover or tunnel from Talkatora Stadium and another from Dayal Chowk –- connecting to the Dhaula Kuan flyover. HT has seen the proposed map.

“The intention is to ease traffic pressure in the high-security and high-traffic area of Lutyens’ Delhi and the arterial routes leading toward Dhaula Kuan Flyover,” the officer said.

HT graphics

Police said that Sardar Patel Marg is one of the traffic choke points especially during peak hours, and the proposal is aimed at reducing the traffic on this stretch.

As per the first suggestion in the proposal, a direct tunnel or flyover beginning near Talkatora Stadium moves southwest toward Dhaula Kuan, creating a streamlined corridor that bypasses multiple at-grade intersections. The design appears to integrate with the road network around Talkatora Road and Panchsheel Marg before merging into the broader Sardar Patel Marg corridor, which is an important approach to Dhaula Kuan.

As the route progresses, it runs through Kautilya Marg, Satya Marg, Niti Marg, Shanti Path, and Vinay Marg. These roads house embassies, government offices, and residential complexes. “By introducing grade separation through a combination of tunnel sections, elevated stretches, loops, and underpasses, the plan seeks to minimize traffic at busy intersections while maintaining access to surrounding roads,” an officer said.

Approaching Dhaula Kuan, the route merges into National Highway 48 and Ring Road traffic streams.

The second plan suggests a flyover or tunnel from Dayal Chowk, near the Shankar Road and Vande Mataram Marg intersection. This plan concentrates on traffic from the Shankar Road corridor, which carries significant flow from Karol Bagh and adjacent residential areas.

“The design aims to relieve pressure before traffic converges toward central administrative roads,” the officer explained.

From Dayal Chowk, the route follows Vande Mataram Marg southward, incorporating multiple grade-separated elements at key junctions. These include loops, underpasses, and slip roads. As the corridor approaches Dhaula Kuan, it joins Sardar Patel Marg and transitions into a system of loops and slip roads connecting with the existing flyover and NH-48 interchange.

Both proposals share the same destination –- Dhaula Kuan Flyover –- and the same broader goal of decongesting one of Delhi’s busiest transport nodes.

However, the officer said that the plan was submitted two weeks ago and the NDMC is deliberating on the plan.