2nd slip road opens on Barapullah road

After missing several deadlines, the slip road connecting Lala Lajpat Rai Marg with Barapullah elevated road is finally ready. HT reports

After missing several deadlines, the slip road connecting Lala Lajpat Rai Marg with Barapullah elevated road is finally ready.

HT Image

Senior public works department officials said the road is likely to be opened for traffic next week.

While one slip road, which provides exit to vehicles coming from Sarai Kale Khan on Lala Lajpat Rai Marg, was opened in March this year, this one will provide east Delhi and Noida-bound vehicles coming from south and central Delhi access to the elevated road.

The Barapullah elevated road - the 4.5 kilometre stretch connecting Ring Road near Sarai Kale Khan and Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium - has become an important arterial road.

The opening of the slip road, said a PWD engineer, will help a large number of people living in east Delhi and working in central Delhi areas such as CGO Complex and India Gate.

"More than 50,000 vehicles use this road every day. The opening of the slip road will add to the number of motorists using this stretch. It will also help decongest Bhairon Marg crossing and area around the Old Fort, which currently caters to the traffic between central Delhi and east Delhi," an engineer said.

While Barapullah elevated road was conceptualised in 2007 and was readied before the Commonwealth Games in 2010, the two slip roads were planned later.

Though these roads were to be opened in March 2011, the public works department set several new deadlines and missed them before completing the project in August.

Once the road is thrown open for traffic, engineers said they will focus on the extension of the elevated road up to INA. With all necessary approvals, the PWD is soon going to award the work to a construction agency.

Meanwhile, the department is also working on the extension of the road up to Mayur Vihar in east Delhi.