L-G gives nod for constructing parallel flyover along RTR Marg

PWD officials said the acquisition of the service lane adjacent to the RTR flyover may not be required. This was the main point of contention for residents whose houses are located along the service lane. This flyover will aid movement of traffic from IIT to NH-8.

Besides this,other proposals for decongesting the area include creating an underpass from Benito Juarez Marg (BJM) towards Ring Road in front of Venkateswara College.

This proposal was part of the RITES report on medium- and long-term proposals for decongesting Outer Ring Road.

Another underpass will be created near R&R Hospital to facilitate movement of traffic from Vasant Enclave towards IIT.

Confirming clearance of these projects,officer on special duty to the L-G,Ranjan Mukherjee,said: “Two major projects to decongest Rao Tula Ram have been given in-principle approval by the L-G. One was creating a parallel flyover on portals starting from the Munirka flyover along the existing flyover on RTR. The other proposal includes constructing an underpass on BJM. Several other steps will be taken to improve traffic in this area.’’

According to PWD officials,with the clearance of these projects in the governing body meeting,the detailed proposals will now be sent to Delhi Urban Art Commission and Delhi government for approval. Delhi government will have to give financial and administrative approval for these proposals and the work can begin by end of this year.

A portal structure will ensure that traffic can continue moving beneath the flyover too. “It will be a three-laned flyover with dual carriageways with traffic moving at-grade. Two lanes will be available on the road for traffic movement on either side of the flyover,’’ the official said.

Meanwhile,the underpass on BJM will help provide immediate relief to the congested RTR Marg.

“The traffic moving from airport towards Central Delhi can use the underpass instead of using the RTR Marg,’’ an official said. The underpass will facilitate movement towards Moti Bagh and San Martin Marg on which colleges such as Jesus and Mary College and Maitreyi College are located.

While the Vasant Vihar residents were in favour of implementation of the solutions proposed by PWD,the residents staying along the RTR flyover had opposed acquisition of the service lane. Last Saturday,illegal encroachment on the service lane of Palam Marg was demolished by PWD including several security guard houses and beautification structures that the residents had built outside their homes on public land.

The RTR flyover,which was constructed as part of the Commonwealth Games projects,was originally planned as a three-lane,one-way facility from the airport to IIT.

After huge bottlenecks were reported on the grade-level from IIT to the airport,the traffic flow on the flyover was reversed — from IIT to the airport. Corresponding bottlenecks resulted in front of Army Research and Referral Hospital and it was finally decided that the carriageway be made two-way,resulting in only one-and-a-half lanes being available to each side on the flyover.

Vasant Vihar Residents’ Welfare Association said they supported the move whole heartedly. “We have been fighting for a solution to the traffic mess due to the RTR flyover. We support the approval of these proposals,especially if it allows us to turn on Paschimi Marg (beneath the flyover),” joint secretary Samir Bhagat said.

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