New Delhi, Sep 29 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday inaugurated five road infrastructure projects worth Rs 1,941 crore in the national capital, including the long-pending Barapullah Phase-III elevated corridor, which is expected to reduce travel time between East and South Delhi.
Shah inaugurated the projects at a function at Barapullah attended by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, her cabinet colleagues and Union Minister of State for Road Transport Harsh Malhotra, among others.
The Barapullah Phase-III project, built at a cost of Rs 1,635 crore, was originally approved in 2014 and work began in 2015. It was initially scheduled for completion in 2017 but faced multiple delays, leading to a significant escalation in its cost.
The Delhi government had planned another bridge over the Yamuna in 2014 to ease traffic from East Delhi and the National Capital Region towns of Noida and Ghaziabad towards central Delhi, where commuters rely on routes including the ITO and Nizamuddin bridges and National Highway 24.
“One of the unique features of Phase III is an extradosed bridge over the Yamuna. Such bridges use much shorter stay towers than cable-stayed bridges, such as the Signature Bridge,” an official said.
In 2021, one of the pillars supporting the bridge tilted due to the strong flow of the Yamuna during the monsoon. Work on the bridge was subsequently halted during the monsoon season each year, officials said.
The corridor has nine loops to facilitate traffic movement in different directions, along with a footpath and cycle track connecting Mayur Vihar Phase-I to the Ring Road.
The flyover will merge with the existing Barapullah flyover at Sarai Kale Khan, completing a stretch of around 10 km.
In a post on X in Hindi, Shah said the Rs 1,635-crore elevated road would provide signal-free connectivity between East and South Delhi, ease traffic congestion and reduce commuting time.
He also said the foundation stones for the Modi Mill-Savitri Cinema flyover and Loni underpass had been laid.
Speaking at the event, Gupta attributed the launch of the projects to what she called the “power of a double-engine government”.
“Only with a double-engine government can Delhi’s stalled projects be opened to the public. The Centre and the Delhi government are working together,” she said.
Gupta said her government was planning several projects to address traffic congestion, an issue she alleged had been neglected over the past 50 years.
Delhi Public Works Department Minister Parvesh Verma, who was also present, said the 11-year wait for the Barapullah flyover was over.
“Last year, we committed that the Barapullah flyover would be completed in a year, and we have done it. For the last 18 months, there has been no politics of allegations or excuses, but only work done by the government for the public,” Verma said.
The other projects include two flyovers in South Delhi, an underpass at Mukarba Chowk on the Outer Ring Road in North Delhi, and an underpass at the Loni Road roundabout in northeast Delhi.
The foundation stone has also been laid for the extension of the Modi Mill flyover towards Savitri Cinema. The project is expected to improve signal-free movement from Modi Mill towards Kalkaji and IIT Gate, officials said.
The PWD is also constructing a new half-flyover parallel to the existing Savitri Cinema flyover to ease traffic pressure around the Outer Ring Road and Greater Kailash-II Road.
An underpass is being constructed at Mukarba Chowk to improve traffic flow on the Outer Ring Road, while the Loni Road roundabout underpass is expected to ease movement between Loni Road and Shahdara, officials said. PTI SSM SSM MDO
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