Cloverleaf closed for vehicular movement in Gurugram

The National Authority of India (NHAI) on Wednesday closed the cloverleaf junction on Dwarka expressway near Kherki Daula for vehicular movement, following which the traffic cannot access the central peripheral road (CPR), connecting Dwarka expressway and national highway 48, officials aware of the matter said on Wednesday

The National Authority of India (NHAI) on Wednesday closed the cloverleaf junction on Dwarka expressway near Kherki Daula for vehicular movement, following which the traffic cannot access the central peripheral road (CPR), connecting Dwarka expressway and national highway 48, officials aware of the matter said on Wednesday.

Last week, NHAI completed work on the cloverleaf junction that provides access to vehicles on all the four sides of Delhi-Jaipur Highway. It was opened for trial runs on Monday. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

However, officials did not cite any reason behind shutting down of the stretch.

Last week, NHAI completed work on the crucial cloverleaf junction, which provides access to vehicles on all the four sides of Delhi-Jaipur Highway. It was opened for trial runs on Monday.

The highway authority completed the slip road from NH-48 towards SPR, which allowed vehicles to exit towards Vatika Chowk.

The cloverleaf and CPR allow thousands of commuters to travel along the Dwarka expressway particularly along sectors 81 to 95 and sectors along SPR from Vatika Chowk to Kherki Daula. It also allows traffic to avoid Delhi-Jaipur Highway to reach Dwarka through the Najafgarh road.

Meanwhile, local residents expressed their anger after NHAI closed the cloverleaf junction.

Pravin Malik, a resident of Sector 92, and frequent user of the road said that the news came as a surprise on Wednesday as the highway authority closed the access to CPR, and thus forced commuters to return from the cloverleaf. “The work on CPR and cloverleaf is completed and NHAI should allow us to use of the road. Residents will have to suffer due to the closure of this stretch,” he said.

The 29km Dwarka expressway is being constructed in four packages with package one and two in Delhi, while packages three and four, which are around 18 km, fall in Gurugram.

The residents also said that several times in the past the highway contractor and NHAI officials have said that 99 per cent work on packages three and four has been completed. “Then what is the problem in the partial opening of expressway. If the expressway is not opened, at least CPR should be available. NHAI has earned crores through Kherki Daula toll plaza and it owes some responsibility to city residents who have paid toll fees regularly,” said Jitender Kumar, a resident of Sector 95.

They also complained that no communication is available regarding the opening of the junction as sometimes they find the ramps open, and suddenly some days they remain closed without prior notices.

Gurugram MP Rao Inderjit Singh also took up the matter regarding the opening of the Gurugram stretch of Dwarka expressway with Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari earlier this month.

Mohammad Safi, regional officer, NHAI, said that any information regarding the opening of cloverleaf and Dwarka expressway will be shared by the project director. “The project director is on leave, and will return in a day or two. He can share relevant information on this matter,” he said.