To connect rail overbridge with Dwarka e-way, GMDA to create temporary road

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority is creating a 450 metre temporary road to connect the Umang Bhardwaj Chowk with Dwarka Expressway via a recently inaugurated railway overbridge. The underpass that will eventually connect the two is still under construction, while land on the western side of the structure is currently unavailable due to litigation. A spokesperson for the GMDA said that a 5.5 metre-wide stretch will be barricaded and used for movement of vehicles, while a senior official of contractor L&T said that work on the underpass is continuing.

To ensure that a railway overbridge (ROB), recently inaugurated by chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, connecting Umang Bhardwaj Chowk with Dwarka Expressway can be used by commuters, the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) is now developing a 450 metre temporary road as the underpass connecting the expressway and the ROB is still under construction.

Gurugram, India-April 10, 2023: Commuters use to unpaved village road for going to Dwarka expressway from the Railway overbridge, Due to the construction work of the underpass on the Dwarka Expressway near Sector-102, the road has been closed for the commuters next to the railway overbridge of Basai village, in Gurugram, India, on Monday, 10 April 2023. (Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)

Also on the western side of this structure, land for construction of underpass is not available owing to litigation, said one of the officials of the highway contractor L&T.

The 910m long and four lane wide ROB, connecting Umang Bhardwaj Chowk to Dwarka Expressway, has been constructed at a cost of ₹23 crore and was made ready for traffic on March 15, the GMDA said.

The ROB runs over the Delhi-Rewari railway line near Basai Village and extends until the Dwarka Expressway. In November last year, Khattar had inaugurated the 820m Basai flyover, a six lane highway and a foot overbridge at Basai Chowk.

A GMDA spokesperson said in order to make the road functional, a team from the authority and highway contractor L&T met on Saturday and decided that a 5.5 metre wide space, which is available from the project and culminates on the service road of Dwarka Expressway be barricaded and used for movement of vehicles. “The work on barricading the 5.5 metre wide stretch is being carried out. The surface of this temporary road will be made even and barricades created on both sides to ensure safe passage of vehicles,” the spokesperson said.

The temporary road will not hamper the construction work on the underpass and commuters coming from Hero Honda Chowk will have to take a right turn after getting off the ROB to reach the Dwarka Expressway.

When asked about the matter, a senior official of L&T said a meeting was held with GMDA official and it was decided that the GMDA could facilitate the construction of a temporary connection, which will connect the ROB with the service road of Dwarka Expressway. “We have dug up the space near the under construction underpass to ensure none of the vehicles enters the underpass by mistake as that could lead to an accident,” said the official, asking not to be named.

He also said while work on the underpass is underway, the land on western side is not available right now due to litigation.

A senior GMDA official on Friday said a notification for acquiring this 30m stretch has been issued, and the issue blocking the acquisition will be resolved soon.