Urban ministry gives green signal to airport link roads

The Union Urban Development Ministry (UDM) has finally set the ball rolling on the five new road link projects around the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, which will not only help decongest traffic on roads leading to the airport, but will also make it more accessible.

At a meeting chaired by Union UD secretary M. Ramachandran on Tuesday it decided that the western link comprising of flyover/ underpass, which will link the traffic coming from areas like Janakpuri to the northern part of the airport via Dwarka will be constructed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

Besides Ramachandran, the meeting was also attended by Delhi chief secretary Rakesh Mehta, senior officials of UD Ministry, NHAI and DDA.

“It was decided that DDA would prepare all the requisite plans for the western link project and will get it cleared by the Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC),” said M Ramachandran, Union UD secretary.

The Ministry has also asked the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to inform it within a week on whether it would be able to construct the underpass at Rao Tula Ram Marg, which will connect the traffic coming from Dhaula Kuan and Outer Ring Road to the airport. “If NHAI does not do it, we will have to decide on some other agency which can implement the project,” said a UD Ministry official.

Besides, the Delhi government has informed the ministry that it is carrying out a survey of two lane twin tunnel link below Mahipalpur village. “Delhi government will complete the survey by August after which it will float tenders for the project. After work starts, the project will be completed between 18 to 24 months,” said Ramachandran.

A decision however, is yet to be taken on the agency, which will implement the proposed access roads to the southern and northern side of the airport to ease traffic. Delhi chief secretary Rakesh Mehta said he was going to lead a team of experts from the DDA and PWD on Wednesday for an inspection of the area around the airport. He said several rounds of discussion were still pending.