Work on signal-free stretch between Delhi's GT Road, NH-24 to begin in March

Besides easing traffic flow on the busy stretch -- non-destined traffic will be able to bypass the three key intersections -- the project will also benefit residents of Anand Vihar, Ramprastha Colony, Vivek Vihar, Surajmal Vihar, Yojana Vihar and Srestha Vihar, who currently waste a considerable amount of time in traffic jams.

Work will begin this March to make the stretch between Dilshad Garden border on GT Road and Ghazipur roundabout on NH-24 signal free, a senior government official said on Friday.

A study commissioned by the public works department (PWD) has revealed that 70% of traffic on this 5.5km stretch is ”non-destined” -- vehicles are just passing through the area -- while 30% traffic is local. (Representative image/HT Archive)

The project involves the construction of a six-lane 2.2km flyover between the existing Anand Vihar railway overbridge and Vivek Vihar intersection on the southern side to ease congestion.

The senior official said the 60m wide corridor is located on Road Number 56 in east Delhi, which has the three busy intersections of Vivek Vihar, Raghunath Mandir and Ramprastha.

Shahdara MLA and speaker of the Delhi assembly Ram Niwas Goel said the finance department has granted approval for the project and the layout has already been cleared by Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure Centre (UTTIPEC) and Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC).

“We are planning to lay the foundation stone and initiate the construction work in March, before the election notification (for municipal polls) is issued,” Goel said. He added that a meeting has been called next week to review the project.

Besides easing traffic flow on the busy stretch -- non-destined traffic will be able to bypass the three key intersections -- the project will also benefit residents of Anand Vihar, Ramprastha Colony, Vivek Vihar, Surajmal Vihar, Yojana Vihar and Srestha Vihar, who currently waste a considerable amount of time in traffic jams.

A study commissioned by the public works department (PWD) has revealed that 70% of traffic on this 5.5km stretch is ”non-destined” -- vehicles are just passing through the area -- while 30% traffic is local. A green belt runs along the eastern side of the corridor while the Ghazipur drain runs along the western side.

“Residents of colonies in the area access their complexes through the three intersections of Ramprastha, Raghunath Mandir and Vivek Vihar and all three points see heavy traffic movement and congestion throughout the day. The PWD study found that further adding to the congestion are heavy commercial vehicles, from an industrial area in the vicinity. Approximately 70% thorough traffic gets stuck at the three intersections and slows down vehicular movement on the whole stretch,” a government official associated with the project said, asking not to be named.

The official said the project is estimated to cost ₹360 crore, and will provide a six-lane elevated alternative to motorists by extending the Anand Vihar railway overbridge over the three intersections. Thus, local traffic will be on the surface, or at-grade, level while non-destined traffic will go over the flyover.

The PWD also plans to provide two ramps, before Ramprashtha and Vivek Vihar intersections, to facilitate local traffic, the official quoted above said.

“The corridor improvement project will also include non-motorised transport (NMT) lanes and wider footpaths on the at-grade level. Other pedestrian facilities such as resting benches, tactile pavers, and modified footpath slopes to make them wheelchair friendly have also been added to the plan. Bollards will be used to block entry of vehicles on to the footpaths and NMT lanes,” the official said.

The plan approved by UTTIPEC also has provision of multi-utility zones at regular intervals which will house signboards, light poles, street furniture, cycle bays and other public utilities. “The greening of the area, beautification of the space under the flyover by the creation of parks, drip irrigation for vertical greening of railings and piers of the flyover and the median, are also part of the project,” the plan stated.