Road caves in at India Gate; central Delhi roads jammed

If you plan to drive back home via Central Delhi roads during evening hours, brace for major traffic jams. A major road caved in on the path between Akbar Road-C-Hexagon and Rajpath-C-Hexagon. HT reports.

If you plan to drive back home via Central Delhi roads during evening hours, brace for major traffic jams.

Traffic turned to snarls pace since this morning on several central Delhi roads including Bhagwan Dass Road, Akbar Road, Zakir Hussain Marg, Pandara Road and other arms of C Hexagon due to a major road cave in on road between Akbar Road-C-Hexagon and Rajpath-C-Hexagon. The road caved in on Friday night.

“Traffic is heavy on central Delhi roads especially from Akbar Road-C-Hexagon towards Rajpath Road-C-Hexagon due to the road cave in,” said a senior traffic police officer. Breakdown of a bus on the stretch had added to the woes of the traffic during morning, he added.

Hundreds of commuters caught in major traffic jam unaware about the cave in.

“It took me 45 minutes to cross 25 meters on the Tilak Marg. And now for last several minutes I was stuck amid bumper to bumper traffic till the jam cleared,” said Avinav Chaudhary, a commuter.

Around 1.15pm normalcy on traffic movement restored, claimed traffic police but added that situation would again go out of bound during evening peak hours.

It’s a major pit approximately 10 to 15 feet deep and according to NDMC workers may require few days to repair the road. Only one heavy vehicle can cross the pit one by one on this heavy traffic corridor.

“Old rain water barrel’s damaged portion has caused the cave in. Area has been barricaded since Friday night. Repair works are on and would be completed within three to four days,” said a senior official of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).