Changing City | Decongesting Delhi’s Ashram: the project, its aim, and why it has been delayed

Ashram project: Once completed, the six-lane-flyover will ease the commute between Delhi and Noida and decongest the Ashram intersection which faces major traffic jams.

Traffic at Ashram and Maharani bagh during the construction work of flyover on July 08, 2022. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)

Work on the 1.42-km-long extension of the Ashram flyover to the Delhi-Noida-Direct (DND) Flyway is in progress and has missed two deadlines — in March and November. Once completed, the six-lane-flyover will ease the commute between Delhi and Noida, and decongest the Ashram intersection which faces major traffic jams.

Once ready, it will allow commuters a signal-free route from Ashram Chowk to DND.

Started in June 2020, the project was delayed due to multiple reason, from the Covid-19 pandemic to the construction ban in the national capital. The flyover involves a three-lane ramp from South Delhi to Sarai Kale Khan, and a three-lane ramp from ITO and Sarai Kale Khan to South Delhi. Once ready, it will allow commuters a signal-free route from Ashram Chowk to DND.

Ashram underpass was inaugurated in April this year.

Along with the Ashram underpass, the project for the flyover extension was approved by the Cabinet in 2019. The underpass was inaugurated in April this year.

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The flyover involves a three-lane ramp from South Delhi to Sarai Kale Khan, and a three-lane ramp from ITO and Sarai Kale Khan to South Delhi.

The project will also include a subway for pedestrians close to the Maharani Bagh signal. The flyover extension can help avoid diversions and detours that have now become common for commuters traveling from Maharani Bagh to Sarai Kale Khan, Noida and Ghaziabad.