Traffic plan drawn up for Rampura flyover repair

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) plans to widen service roads on both sides of Rampura Chowk so that vehicles can move freely once the Jaipur-Delhi

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) plans to widen service roads on both sides of Rampura Chowk so that vehicles can move freely once the Jaipur-Delhi carriageway of the flyover is shut for repairs, likely from next month, officials familiar with the matter said. In September this year, a chunk of the Rampura flyover had fallen, after which repairs were carried out by the project concessionaire. Last year on December 17, concrete had fallen from the same spot at the flyover, exposing iron rods. It was decided by the NHAI this month that the damaged deck slab would be replaced instead of being repaired.

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According to the detailed traffic plan prepared by the concessionaire for the project, the service roads will be widened by two metres on both sides to ensure that there is no traffic jam at Rampura Chowk below the flyover, about two kilometres from Kherki Daula toll plaza. Hari Singh Geela, deputy manager, NHAI Jaipur, said, “The Rampura flyover from Jaipur-Delhi side will be closed for traffic so that repairs can be carried out. All vehicles will be diverted to the service road. Detailed signboards will also be put up so that commuters don’t face any issue.” He said that the Delhi-Jaipur side of the flyover will remain open during this period.

The Gurugram traffic police said that they are waiting for the NHAI to submit the traffic plan for review. Officials said this was the second time the concessionaire had made the traffic plan as the police wanted wider service roads for the free flow of vehicles, which couldn’t have been achieved through the first traffic plan. Himanshu Garg, DCP traffic, Gurugram, said, “We are waiting for the NHAI to send us the revised traffic plan. Once that is done, we will see how vehicles can move around at this junction.” NHAI officials said that once the concessionaire readies the revised traffic plan and it is submitted to the Gurugram traffic police, work to widen the service roads can start immediately.

Officials familiar with the matter said that the flyover is likely to remain closed for traffic for 45 days. An official of the Pink City Expressway, concessionaire of the project, said, “To carry out repairs, the flyover will be shut for 45 days.” Geela also confirmed this. “In October this year, the flyover was repaired but we wanted a permanent solution to the damaged deck slab. Replacing it would be the best possible solution and we need 45 days. We don’t want to be in a hurry,” Geela said. “Around ₹50 lakh will be spent in the widening of the service roads. The deck slab will cost ₹15 lakh,” he said.

The defect liability maintenance period—a period following project completion, during which the contractor remains liable under the building contract for dealing with any defects—is till 2023.