Atul Kataria Chowk: Flyover, underpass to open in December

Work on a flyover and an underpass at Atul Kataria Chowk is 80% complete, service roads to be constructed

Work on a flyover and an underpass at Atul Kataria Chowk is 80% complete and they are likely to open to the public by December, officials of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) said on Monday.

The flyover and underpass were at Atul Kataria Chowk initially expected to be completed in November 2019, but hit roadblocks and the deadline was moved to May 2021. However, the revised deadline could not be met due to Covid-19. (Vipin Kumar /HT PHOTO)

“The construction of the flyover is almost 80% ready and it would be opened to public by December this year. This flyover and underpass will help ease traffic congestion at this junction, which sees traffic from internal sectors, Huda City Centre and Dwarka Expressway,” Suresh Kumar Chahal, the joint chief executive officer of the GMDA, said.

The project, which was approved by the state government in 2018, was initially expected to be completed in November 2019, but hit roadblocks and the deadline was moved to May 2021. However, the revised deadline could not be met as the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns hindered the completion of the project, officials said.

Officials of the Public Works Department also cited a design conflict, due to the presence of a GMDA drainage box underground, which further delayed the project as the alignment had to be rejigged.

Traffic movement is normal at Atul Kataria Chowk with no routes diverted as work for the underpass is going on internally, with no disruptions on the surface. A sloping section of the Lt Atul Kataria Marg, where the underpass is being constructed, was shut for over a month from the last week of January for excavation work.

The Atul Kataria Chowk is a key junction, where traffic from the border areas and older parts of the city converge. The two infrastructure projects are expected to benefit residents travelling towards the Dwarka Expressway, Gurgaon Railway Station, Gurgaon Bus Stand, Kapashera border, Sheetla Mata Temple, Signature Towers and Huda City Centre.

Officials said the flyover and underpass would decongest sectors 12, 14, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10 and 17, Maruti industrial area and Udyog Vihar.

Puneet Kumar, executive engineer, construction division, PWD, said, “The work would have been completed earlier but during construction of the underpass, we realised that it was hitting an underground box drain of the GMDA. We had to rework the project and ensure that the underpass did not obstruct the drain. Around 70% of the work of the underpass has been done, with the walls of the underpass being ready; we just have to put the raft for carriageway.”