Gurgaon: Rajiv Chowk underpass closed till Saturday to rectify safety issues

The authorities said they closed the underpass for installation of reflectors and fix some minor issues related to safety.

The underpass originating near Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Sector 38, which was inaugurated on August 14 last year, was closed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Wednesday night to fix some safety issues.

Workers repair the exit point of the underpass on Friday. The 708-metres underpass, which starts immediately after the Tau Devi Lal stadium in Sector 38, was closed by the NHAI on Wednesday night to ensure the safety of commuters. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

The authorities said they closed the underpass for installation of reflectors and fix some minor issues related to safety.

The underpass will be reopened on Friday night or early Saturday morning. Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on August 14, 2017, inaugurated the underpass along with the flyover at Maharana Pratap Chowk.

The 708-metre underpass ends just 150 metres ahead of Rajiv Chowk, before the Jharsa crossing. It offers a signal-free smooth ride on the Jaipur-Delhi side of the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway. Residents using the underpass had were happy as it saved more than 15 minutes from their commute.

The commuters, however, alleged that the authorities have not installed any signboards notifying them of its closure. The exit of the underpass and the service lane of the expressway merge, often leading to hazards for commuters.

“There were some major issues which could result in accidents. Reflectors have been installed as commuters complained that the structure was unlit. There was a lot of noise also due to the grill on the ground. This has been rectified and cleaning of the underpass is underway,” said Laxmi Narayan, personal assistant to PWD minister Rao Narbir Singh.

“It is only when one reaches the spot that one gets to know about the latest change, which is very irritating for a commuter and quite irresponsible of the authorities. The staff deployed there was unaware why the underpass was closed,” said Aron Singh, a resident of Sector 51.

The staff said they were not aware why the officials have closed the underpass. “It will be opened tonight after the cleaning,” one of the staff members of the contractors said.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is to inaugurate the underpasses at Rajiv Chowk and Signature Tower on January 22.

On July 24, 2017, the NHAI opened flyover at Hero Honda Chowk. On August 14, 2017, one of the two underpasses at Rajiv Chowk and a flyover at Maharana Pratap Chowk (also known as MDI Chowk) was opened. On November 3, 2017, one of the three flyovers at the Iffco Chowk was opened to traffic.

Most of these structures were proposed in 2014 to decongest the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway. The construction began two years later in September 2016.