Ring Road between AIIMS and Ashram to be refurbished

Ring Road is Delhi’s one of the most important arterial roads, which carries heavy volume of traffic. This stretch of the Ring Road passes through several important areas like Lajpat Nagar, Moolchand, South Extension and witness heavy traffic.

The Delhi government on Monday approved a project to carpet the 5-km-stretch of the Ring Road between All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Ashram with layers of asphalt.

Ring Road is Delhi’s one of the most important arterial roads, which carries heavy volume of traffic. This stretch of the Ring Road passes through several important areas like Lajpat Nagar, Moolchand, South Extension and witness heavy traffic. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)

The project will be taken up by the Public Works Department with an expenditure of Rs 15 crore. However, officials said the project may not take off before two months because of tender process and cold weather conditions.

“Chaired Expenditure-Finance committee (EFC) meeting today (Monday). Important decision included approval of ‘Project to strengthen Ring road from AIIMS to Ashram’ costing Rs 15 crore,” Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia said in a tweet.

Ring Road is Delhi’s one of the most important arterial roads, which carries heavy volume of traffic. This stretch of the Ring Road passes through several important areas like Lajpat Nagar, Moolchand, South Extension and witness heavy traffic. There are several potholes between AIIMS and Ashram, which slows down traffic and cause jams.

“Two asphalt layers, 10 cm and 4 cm thick each will be laid on the existing road. This process is called re-surfacing of the road which is done after every 10 years. Last re-surfacing of this stretch was done in 2007. Once it is done the road will last for another 10 years,” a PWD official told Hindustan Times.

“Tenders will now be floated and the entire process will take at least 15 to 20 days. The weather may cause delay as at least 20 degree Celsius temperature required for laying the road. The road may not last long if it is constructed during winters. So the work is expected to begin in February and will be completed within two months,” the officer said.

Renovation of busy Ring Road is expected to lead traffic congestions on the stretch. Traffic jams are a regular feature in areas like Ashram, Lajpat Nagar, Moolchand, South Extension even during normal days. The condition may aggravate once the work begins.

However, the PWD and traffic officials assured taking all necessary measures so that the commuters do not face problems. “First, the construction work of one side of the road will be done and during that period the traffic will pass through the other. The work will be carried out mostly during night. The patch where Metro construction is going on in South Extension will be left out,” the PWD official said.

Chief of Delhi Traffic Police, Dependra Pathak said: “Seamless traffic movement is our priority. When the project takes off we will coordinate with the authorities concerned and announce necessary traffic diversions to ensure that commuters do not face problem.”