Work at Loni underpass resumes after delays

PWD officials inspected the project site on June 19 and issued a series of directions related to utility relocation, traffic planning and site development

After months of delays, work has finally begun on the Loni Road underpass project with the public works department (PWD) initiating site preparations following a demolition drive to remove encroachments last week.

Bulldozers raze slum structures in Loni on June 18. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

PWD officials inspected the project site on June 19 and issued a series of directions related to utility relocation, traffic planning and site development. The ₹70 crore underpass, aimed at making the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh corridor in northeast Delhi signal-free, was approved by the Delhi government in September 2022 but had seen no progress on the ground owing to large-scale encroachments at the site and utility related hurdles.

HT had earlier reported that the project was stalled due to these bottlenecks. On June 18, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) carried out a demolition drive at the site, clearing more than two dozen structures.

A PWD report, dated June 21, noted that the footpath towards the Loni-RTO side has now been cleared of encroachments and utility shifting must begin on priority. The report also directed the executive engineer to apply for tree cutting permissions and assess traffic volume, congestion points and pedestrian movement.

“The engineer overseeing the project has been directed to collect data on traffic volume, congestion points, and pedestrian movement—particularly for vehicles coming from Wazirabad Road towards the left side of Loni Road. We also plan to address the encroachments on that side of the project site,” the official added.

Officials said the underpass will take around 15 months to build. Once complete, it will help make the 10km stretch from Signature Bridge to the UP border signal-free. Loni Chowk, one of the busiest intersections in northeast Delhi, sees heavy vehicular traffic between Delhi and Ghaziabad, Hindon and Loni via Wazirabad Road.

During the inspection, officials noted that the limited space on the left side of the road will make open-cut excavation challenging. To manage traffic during construction, concrete diaphragm walls will be used on both sides.

“In light of persistent waterlogging and seepage issues at the Pragati Maidan tunnel and other underpasses, additional waterproofing measures and sumps will be included in the project,” the PWD report stated.

Rohit Kumar, a local resident, said the encroachments were cleared over a week ago, but debris and sludge remain. “They should also repair the road,” he said.

Rakesh Vashishth, a commuter from Loni, said the underpass work must be expedited, but in the meantime, the road and drainage need fixing. “The entire roundabout up to Loni Pushta floods every time it rains,” he added.

Dr S Velmurugan, chief scientist at CRRI, said land availability should be a prerequisite for any project. “NHAI requires 90% of the land to be cleared before work begins. Relocating utilities like power and water lines shouldn’t be a hurdle today,” he said.