Work begins on delayed Loni underpass; completion expected in two years

PWD has begun the long-delayed Loni underpass project in northeast Delhi, expected to take two years and costing ₹75 crore to alleviate traffic congestion.

The Public Works Department (PWD) has started work on the construction of the long-delayed Loni underpass project in northeast Delhi.

Work begins on delayed Loni underpass; completion expected in two years

Officials said that once the contractor is appointed, the project will take at least two years to complete. “Given the scale of the project and the complexities involved, including working in a densely populated and high-traffic area, the construction is expected to take around two years,” the official added.

The ₹75-crore underpass, announced in September 2022, is aimed at decongesting traffic on the arterial stretch connecting Signature Bridge to the Delhi-Ghaziabad border and enabling signal-free movement. Officials had earlier said that the project would not only improve traffic flow but also reduce vehicular emissions caused by idling at traffic signals.

However, the project remained stalled due to encroachments, tree cutting permissions and the relocation of utilities. A senior PWD official said work has started after key bottlenecks were resolved.

“The project had been held up primarily due to delay in clearing encroachments and shifting underground utilities such as water pipelines, electricity cables and telecom lines. These issues have now largely been addressed, allowing us to start construction,” the official said.

Accoding to the tender documents, the project also involves construction of drainage systems and pedestrian facilities such as footpath and a foot over bridge and traffic management measures during construction.

The Loni Road corridor, particularly the stretch near the underpass site, has long been identified as a congestion hotspot. Commuters travelling between northeast Delhi and Ghaziabad frequently face bottlenecks at intersections along this route, officials said.

One of the primary challenges in the underpass construction was encroachments along the proposed alignment, which required coordinated action between multiple civic agencies. Also, obtaining permission for tree cutting and transplantation contributed to further delays.

Additionally, the alignment of the underpass intersected with several critical underground services, necessitating detailed planning and coordination. “Utility relocation is always a time-consuming process because it involves multiple stakeholders and technical approvals,” the official said.

PWD officials said that traffic diversion plans have been put in place to ensure that construction does not impact daily commuters. “We are implementing phased construction and diversion strategies so that vehicular movement can continue with minimal inconvenience,” the official said.

The project’s cost has remained at approximately ₹75 crore, as per official estimates, although authorities indicated that any escalation, if required, would be assessed at later stages based on site conditions and execution requirements.