The Delhi government plans to speed up work on its ambitious Rs 7,000-crore elevated Ring Road project after the newly opened Barapullah Phase 3 saw perennial gridlock, officials said on Thursday.
Spanning 55 kilometres, the project includes two new bridges over the Yamuna to improve connectivity between Trans-Yamuna areas and the rest of the city.
“Under long-term measures, our elevated Ring Road project will add two flyovers over the Yamuna river, which will improve traffic management along the area. The detailed project report for the first package is ready and has been approved by the Chief Minister recently,” Public Works Department Minister Parvesh Singh Verma said.
Officials said, as part of the plan to decongest Ring Road, the government is working on a new bridge near the existing Signature Bridge, and a second flyover will run from Metcalfe House to the Delhi-Noida-Direct (DND) flyway near Ashram.
Officials said the need for additional capacity has become more pressing with the opening of Barapullah Phase 3. The Ring Road stretch around Sarai Kale Khan, a key link between central Delhi and southeast and east Delhi, has seen rising traffic volumes.
According to the plan, the initial phases, including Azadpur Flyover to Hanuman Temple (ISBT) (9.5 kilometres), Chandgi Ram Akhara to Majnu Ka Tilla (2.5 kilometres) and Hanuman Temple (ISBT) to DND Flyover (11.5 kilometres), will be taken up initially on priority.
After completion, the elevated road will connect to the Azadpur flyover near Mukarba Chowk and the DND road, which further connects to the Ashram flyover, a critical arterial road in South Delhi, officials said.
