New Delhi, Sep 30 (PTI) Motorists on Wednesday faced heavy traffic congestion on the newly-opened Barapullah Phase-III elevated corridor, a day after it was inaugurated to cut travel-time between east and south Delhi.
Several commuters said traffic from Mayur Vihar Phase-1 towards the Sarai Kale Khan was crawling, with a tailback nearly 3 km long.
A commuter said he was stuck for about 40 minutes while travelling from Mayur Vihar Phase-1 towards central Delhi during the afternoon. Another said it took 55 minutes to reach the first intersection point of the flyover.
Others said the promised travel-time reduction from Mayur Vihar Phase-1 to AIIMS, was far from visible on the first day of operationalisation of the elevated corridor.
Responding to complaints on social media platform X, Delhi Traffic Police said the congestion on the corridor from Mayur Vihar had been “noted on priority”. Officers have been directed to step up regulation at critical merging and exit points, strengthen deployment and clear the build-up quickly.
Police said the traffic pattern on the new corridor was being assessed and corrective measures would be taken to improve flow.
“The congestion reported on the newly-opened Barapullah Phase-III corridor, including the tailback from the Mayur Vihar side, has been noted on priority. Traffic officers have been directed to intensify regulation and strengthen deployment at critical merging and exit points,” a traffic officer said.
Experts had cautioned before the opening that the flyover — meant to offer an alternative to the Delhi-Noida Direct (DND) flyway — could add to congestion near Sarai Kale Khan.
The corridor links Mayur Vihar Phase-1 on Noida Link Road to Sarai Kale Khan on Ring Road. It merges with the existing Barapullah network to form a continuous, signal-free stretch of about 9 km up to the AIIMS roundabout. It was expected to ease traffic on the DND and Akshardham stretches.
PWD officials said traffic movement from Mayur Vihar towards AIIMS has now been opened for commuters. The carriageway from AIIMS towards Mayur Vihar will be opened by Thursday afternoon, further facilitating smooth movement of traffic on the corridor.
The Rs 1,635-crore project was approved in 2014, and work began in 2015. It was to be completed in 2017 but was delayed several times, and its cost went up. In 2021, a pillar supporting the bridge tilted due to the strong flow of the Yamuna during monsoon, after which work was halted during the monsoon every year since.
A distinctive feature of the corridor is an extradosed bridge over the Yamuna, which uses much shorter stay towers than cable-stayed bridges such as the Signature Bridge. The corridor has nine loops for movement in different directions, besides a footpath and cycle track connecting Mayur Vihar Phase-1 to Ring Road.
It was inaugurated on Tuesday along with four other road projects, taking the total outlay to Rs 1,941 crore. PTI VBH ARB
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