New Delhi: Traffic relief after the Ashram flyover reopening didn’t last long for Delhi commuters. With the Chirag Delhi Flyover and a 500-metre section of the Delhi-Jaipur Highway (NH-48) — between Rangpuri and Rajokri — both shut down last week for repairs, commuters travelling from South and South-west Delhi to Gurugram are facing long traffic snarls.
Commuters travelling from the IGI Airport and Central Delhi towards Gurugram are among the worst affected. Commuters say traffic advisories issued by police are helping many of them avoid snarls, but diverting them to longer routes.
As key stretches remain choked for several kilometres during peak hours, a traffic advisory issued by Gurugram Police has suggested alternative routes, asking commuters travelling between Delhi and Gurugram to take the Old Delhi Road, through Dundahera Border-Kapashera Border Dwarka Link Road-Dwarka-West, North-West Delhi.
“With the current infrastructure upgradation work by NHAI on NH-48, there can be traffic congestion. In order to avoid major delay and inconvenience to commuters we are requesting them to take alternate (sic) routes,” the notification, issued two days ago, read.
The 500-m stretch on the Rangpuri-Rajokri stretch of the Delhi-Jaipur highway has been closed for 90 days. Work on the Chirag Delhi Flyover is taking place in phases, beginning with the Nehru Place-IIT carriageway.
Long commutes
The areas hit by snarls from the roadblocks include Vasant Kunj, Mehrauli-Badarpur road, RK Puram, Munirka and Outer Ring Road.
Asha Kapoor, a commuter, said it took her 2 hours to reach her office in Noida from Vasant Kunj during the morning peak hours. The drive usually takes 40-45 minutes, she added.
“The cars were not even moving an inch for 40 minutes. The traffic jam was so bad,” she said. “I understand that construction work is being carried out but it is stressing out the commuters. Earlier, it was the Ashram flyover and, now, this. Even the cab fare is very high. Two days ago, when I thought to take a cab, it showed Rs 2,500 till Noida. Can you imagine?”
Prashant Kumar, who works in Gurugram’s Udyog Vihar, faced a similar situation when he got stuck in traffic for 5o minutes while on his way there from South Delhi.
Later, however, he came across the traffic advisory and has been opting for the alternative routes.
“God, the traffic is so bad. The alternative routes are long but the drive is smooth and less taxing. The authorities should think of ways to repair the roads causing less trouble to the commuters,” he said.
“Two important repair works are being carried out at the same time. There is no sense.”
Speaking to ThePrint, a senior Delhi Traffic Police officer said “no major congestion has been witnessed over the past two days”.
“There is a tunnel and an overbridge being constructed by the NHAI on NH-48, hence there might be a little congestion. But the road is not closed, only the stretch of 500 metres has been blocked,” he said.
“The traffic has been diverted and no major congestion has been witnessed in the last two days. We have also opened two service lanes for the commuters.”
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
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