Highways authority proposes underpass before Kherki Daula toll to resolve snarls

As the cloverleaf flyover planned on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway on NH8 is still a few years away, the NHAI is mulling to build an underpass before the Kherki Daula toll plaza to avoid frequent jams.

As the cloverleaf flyover planned on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway on NH8 is still a few years away, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is mulling to build an underpass before the Kherki Daula toll plaza to avoid frequent jams.

Jams are witnessed at the U-turn as it is the only point on a 10-kilometre stretch that allows movement to the other side. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

Officials said that their objective is to remove the abrupt U-turn that is 500 metres from the plaza and prevent contraflow of traffic, from the Jaipur side, from taking the right towards the service lane and onwards to Hero Honda Chowk.

A team of NHAI officials on Sunday, led by Manoj Kumar, regional officer, assessed the situation. The officials proposed an underpass 2 kilometres from the Kherki Daula on the Gurgaon side. They said this could resolve the traffic jams and also be a feasible medium-term solution.

“We have plans to build a cloverleaf flyover that will connect the Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) and Central Peripheral Road (CPR) on the highway, but that is a long-term solution. In the interim, an underpass could resolve the traffic issues by providing passage to vehicles from both sides,” Kumar said.

He also said that a strict vigil is being kept on the toll plazas to ensure smooth movement of vehicles.

The U-turn is a problematic point, as it is the only point, up to Rajeev Chowk, for crossing the highway. A large number of vehicles also get stuck on the stretch as there are many villages and unauthorised colonies on both sides of this 10km road.

NHAI officials also said that vehicles coming from Jaipur side that move towards Hero Honda Chowk, Darbaripur and Badshahpur take the dangerous right turn at a slow speed, which often leads to accidents and more frequently, jams.

“We have posted traffic marshals at the U-turn. Traffic jams are taking place only because of the traffic coming from the opposite direction. The proposed underpass will greatly help in resolving the situation,” S Raghuraman, CEO of Millennium City Expressway Pvt Limited, the concessionaire for the expressway, said.

The authority also identified a spot 2 kilometres from the expressway, which has barren land on both sides, that could be utilised for building the underpass if the proposal is approved.

At present, work is already underway on three underpasses at the Iffco Chowk, Signature Tower and Rajeev Chowk intersections. The project is aimed at decongesting the Gurgaon expressway.