Month later, elevated road yet to open

Monday, Nov 15, 2010



Even a month after the Commonwealth Games ended, there is uncertainty over the opening of the elevated road built over Barapullah Nullah, which would significantly improve connectivity between east and south Delhi.

Sources said while traffic police has reportedly given a nod to allow only light vehicles on this stretch, a transport and traffic body constituted by the Delhi government, which also has NGO representatives onboard, wants heavy vehicles, too, to be allowed on the road.

Meanwhile, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), which was to demolish a small portion of a wall, built beside the parking area close to the elevated road, has not done so. ''We don't know the reason behind MCD's not doing this work even though the decision was taken after consulting them. We had fixed November 18 to open the stretch for commuters. Now it might get delayed further,'' said a senior Public Works Department (PWD) official.

Sources said that to find a solution to the deadlock, the chief secretary Rakesh Mehta is likely to hold a meeting on Monday. Mehta told reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of Delhi pavilion at IITF that a decision on allowing traffic to ply on the elevated road has not yet been taken.

PWD officials also said they have been receiving calls and queries from people about the final opening of the 4.4km stretch. ''We have learnt that some of the NGO representatives in the transport body have suggested that only allowing light vehicles on this stretch would further discourage people from using public transport. Though we are not against this idea, we just can't keep delaying the opening of a mammoth project for months,'' said a PWD official.

PWD had claimed that once opened for traffic, the elevated road would reduce travel time between Sarai Kale Khan and INA market to only 7-8 minutes for light vehicles. This would also reduce congestion at Ashram crossing and between Sarai Kale Khan and AIIMS on Ring Road. PWD also plans to extend the road to UP Link Road in east Delhi to bring further relief to commuters.

Original news source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Month-later-elevated-road-yet-to-open/articleshow/6927100.cms#ixzz15KeIeSRG