Old Delhi Road closure extended till Sunday as drain work continues

A stretch of Old Delhi Road near Major Sushil Aima Marg will remain closed to traffic until Sunday, November 1, as construction of a culvert and a stormwater drain is yet to be completed, Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) officials said

A stretch of Old Delhi Road near Major Sushil Aima Marg will remain closed to traffic until Sunday, November 1, as construction of a culvert and a stormwater drain is yet to be completed, Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) officials said.

The stretch, from the Sector 22/23 dividing road signal towards Lt Atul Kataria Chowk, was originally scheduled to reopen on October 27. However, the ongoing construction work on the Leg-I master stormwater drain has necessitated an extension of the traffic restrictions, officials said. (HT Archive)

The stretch, from the Sector 22/23 dividing road signal towards Lt Atul Kataria Chowk, was originally scheduled to reopen on October 27. However, the ongoing construction work on the Leg-I master stormwater drain has necessitated an extension of the traffic restrictions, officials said.

GMDA is constructing a reinforced cement concrete (RCC) box-type precast culvert and a box-type drain to improve stormwater drainage in the area.

A senior GMDA official said the existing culvert was old and too narrow to accommodate the volume of stormwater flowing from Udyog Vihar. The drain also has a sharp bend at the culvert, restricting the flow of water.

“The stormwater coming from Udyog Vihar crosses the culvert at 90 degrees and that slows down the flow. The expansion of the culvert will help in our future plan to upgrade the drain along the entire Sushil Aima marg,” the official said.

Earlier this month, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini directed GMDA and Gurugram Metro Rail Limited (GMRL) to prepare a fresh plan for the construction of the drain and metro corridor along Major Sushil Aima Marg to minimise traffic disruption. The government also directed the agencies to ensure that trees along the road were preserved during construction.

A GMDA spokesperson said the ongoing work was aimed at strengthening the stormwater drainage infrastructure in the area.

“The extended closure is necessary to facilitate the completion of the ongoing construction work and ensure its safe execution,” the spokesperson said.

GMDA has advised commuters to use alternative routes and follow traffic diversions and directions issued by the Gurugram traffic police until the road is reopened.