COMMUTING between Dwarka and West Delhi will no longer be the torture that it is. A swanky flyover being built on Pankha Road is expected to end the traffic bottlenecks on the stretch, especially at the Dabri More crossing.
The project is expected to be complete by August 2010, well in time for the Commonwealth Games.
The signal- free flyover, estimated to cost Rs 140 crore, is being constructed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi ( MCD). The grade separator — as flyovers are called technically — will drastically reduce the travelling time between West Delhi and the city’s domestic and international airports at Palam.
The flyover will connect Dwarka in south- west Delhi with West Delhi areas such as Janakpuri, Uttam Nagar and Delhi Cantonment. “ The grade separator will benefit thousands of commuters from Uttam Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Rajouri Garden, Moti Nagar, Dwarka and Palam.
It will also help West Delhi residents to have an easy access to South Delhi via Dwarka,” Mahender Nagpal, chairman of the MCD’s works committee, said.
The flyover is expected to ease traffic congestion at Dabri intersection on Pankha Road. The intersection, linking Dwarka with Uttam Nagar and Janakpuri, is perennially congested.
Apart from narrow and bad roads, a vegetable market, fruit stalls, a Mother Dairy booth and electric towers at the intersection add to the commuters’ woes.
Peak hours are a pain at the intersection.
“ During morning peak hours, at least 1,200 cars cross this intersection. In the evening, this figure drops to around 900 but that doesn’t ease the traffic congestion,” a senior MCD officer said.
But once the flyover becomes operational, this tale of woes will become history.
The six- lane flyover will be around 6.25 km long. Side roads, cycle tracks and sub- ways will also be constructed to facilitate commuters. “ A foot- overbridge will be constructed on Pankha Road in front of Janak Cinema,” said an MCD officer.
In a bid to widen the roads, the MCD will cover a drain that runs along the Pankha Road. “ The project will be completed on time. Around 15 per cent work is already over,” the officer added.
West Delhi residents hope the flyover will end their traffic woes. Sateesh Arora, who stays in Rajouri Garden, said: “ It takes two hours from my house to the domestic airport. The fact that I am a frequent air traveller adds to my torment.” The signal- free flyover is expected to solve that problem.
“ The residents of Dwarka can also easily access NH- 8 and Rohtak Road via West Delhi once the flyover becomes operational,” the officer said.
According to him, Rs 40 crore will also be spent on new cables for telephone companies and pipelines for the Delhi Jal Board and sewerage disposal. Work on these will be completed in four months.
