The Delhi government on Friday gave its clearance for the construction of a parallel Ring Road across river Yamuna. This will become a signal free road in due course and connect Noida Road to Wazirabad Road through Mayur Vihar, Geeta Colony, Gandhi Nagar, Shastri Park and Seelampur.
The main feature of this east Delhi road would be an underground tunnel road. With a proposed length of 850 metres near the Shastri Park Metro Station, this would become the longest tunnel road in the city. The road passes through some of the most densely populated colonies of the city and traffic congestion is a routine feature.
Several stretches of the road along the banks of the river have already been completed but certain bottlenecks near the Old Railway Bridge on river Yamuna remained unsolved. The PWD finally decided to construct the 4-lane tunnel road with a cost of Rs 250 crore.
The tunnel would start at Mahavir Swami Park near Gandhi Nagar and cross the ISBT Road. The proposal to build a grade separator at Shastri Park has been amalgamated in the finalised design.
"We are sending the proposal to the DDA. It would be then sent to the DUAC for approval. We expect to begin the construction work by early next year," said PWD and Urban Development Minister AK Walia.
{{/usCountry}}"We are sending the proposal to the DDA. It would be then sent to the DUAC for approval. We expect to begin the construction work by early next year," said PWD and Urban Development Minister AK Walia.
{{/usCountry}}The other barrier to signal free traffic on the parallel Ring Road is the ITO chungi crossing. Walia said that the hurdles have been removed now for the construction of another tunnel at the crossing for a free flow of traffic. "As the Commonwealth Games village is located on this road, we would complete the project before the Games," said the minister.
The PWD has already decided to construct a flyover and an underpass at ITO, one of the busiest traffic junctions of the city. The latest report card of the Urban Development and the PWD says that 72 flyovers have been constructed in Delhi so far, 11 are under various stages of construction and proposal has been drawn for the construction of another 42 flyovers.
Email Amitabh Shukla: ashukla@hindustantimes.com