This story is from September 13, 2017

PWD to push for Mehrauli plan to ease up NCR traffic

The public works department (PWD) is trying to revive the Mehrauli-Badarpur corridor project to tackle the ever increasing traffic volume on Outer Ring Road.
PWD to push for Mehrauli plan to ease up NCR traffic
NEW DELHI: The public works department (PWD) is trying to revive the Mehrauli-Badarpur corridor project to tackle the ever increasing traffic volume on Outer Ring Road. Conceived in 2013-14, the project has been stuck due to technical reasons and lack of coordination among various government agencies.
PWD will raise the issue in a meeting called by Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday to decongest Delhi.
Officials said the project was crucial for better intercity connectivity in the national capital region (NCR) and to take the load off Outer Ring Road. It will bring down the travel time between Gurgaon and several parts of south Delhi/Noida/Faridabad considerably, they added.
As the last corridor connecting Mathura Road to Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, a 4.2km-long elevated corridor has been proposed between Ignou Road and Batra Hospital while another flyover, 1.5-2km in length, is to come up between Ma Anandmayee Marg intersection and Badarpur underpass. An underpass has been proposed close to Tughlaqabad Fort.
The agency submitted the proposal along with three options to UTTIPEC in 2014-15. PWD officials said the underpass and the two flyovers had been proposed to decongest the 11km-long corridor as at-grade improvement was not possible due to lack of space. “But it is yet to be approved as clearance from other agencies is awaited,” said an official.
A meeting was held in June this year to discuss the project where ASI officials turned down the underpass proposal, citing the 100-metre rule protecting heritage structures, PWD officials said. “There is hardly any road space near the fort. But the underpass has been planned very close to a wall, which, ASI says, is protected,” said a PWD official.
According to a survey carried out by a consultant before the proposal was drafted, the peak hour traffic on this stretch is 7,000-8,000 passenger car units. At 10-30km/hour, the peak hour traffic almost crawls due to various factors like encroachment on road, high pedestrian-traffic interaction and uneven road width.

The congestion on this corridor usually have ripple effects on arterial roads like Aurobindo Marg, Press Enclave road, Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg and Outer Ring Road. “The new facilities will let vehicles move faster and at-grade corridor improvement will facilitate pedestrian movement. At present, the intercity traffic mainly uses Outer Ring Road. This road can also ease traffic movement on nearby arterial roads,” said an official.
DMRC’s Phase IV will also pass through this corridor. PWD officials said the proposal would incorporate the Metro alignment.
End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA