GMRL clears Krishna Chowk underpass, drops four others

Board said only the Palam Vihar crossing aligns with the metro route. Other underpasses may be taken up after metro construction is completed.

The Gurugram metro rail limited (GMRL) board on Tuesday approved construction of an underpass at Krishna Chowk near Palam Vihar, which would be fundedby the Gurugram metropolitan development authority (GMDA).

Inspection found remaining sites off the alignment. Final call on Shankar Chowk station location awaits a high-powered panel decision. (HT Archive)

The GMRL will construct only one underpass along the metro line and not undertake construction of four other underpasses at Railway road, sector 5 to Sheetla Mata road, Rezangla Chowk and at Sushil Aima road near Old Delhi Road as proposed earlier by GMDA.

A senior GMRL official said that the board approved construction of Krishna Chowk underpass as it was along the metro alignment. “We have also decided to expedite the contract for the second phase of the metro. However, the location of the last metro station at Shankar Chowk is yet to be finalised,” the official said.

Officials said the issue is likely to get resolved next month in the high powered committee meeting headed by Haryana chief secretaryAnurag Rastogi who will take a final call after getting necessary inputs from the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC).

Chander Shekhar Khare, GMRL managing director said that all efforts are being made to ensure that deadlines are met. “Approval has been granted for construction of an underpass. We are also working to expedite the tender for the second phase,” he said.

GMRL officials said that GMRL and GMDA officials jointly inspected the Old Gurugram Metro route on November 17 and found that the other four proposed underpasses did not fall along the metro route.

GMRL officials also said that severe traffic congestion and gridlock are anticipated for a minimum period of two years as both metro and grade separator projects are carried out concurrently. Traffic regulations and restrictions would be required from all directions, substantially impeding vehicular movement at congested junctions.

The metro corporation officials also said that such concurrent activities would delay the metro project by at least a year or two owing to congested working areas at the aforementioned grade separator sites (underpasses).

Meanwhile, GMRL also recommended to construct the other four underpasses only after the completion of metro work by GMRL.