They said the expansion joints of the flyover that allow for continuous traffic between bridge structures have not been repaired in the last five years, and required immediate maintenance. The PWD submitted the plan to the Delhi traffic police on two weeks ago for the work.
Traffic jams on the busy Ring Road may worsen during the peak hours as the Nauroji Nagar flyover that connects connects Aurobindo Marg, AIIMS to Moti Bagh, near Sarojini Nagar, will remain closed for traffic for at least 40 days for repairs, public works department officials said on Tuesday.
The PWD official said in order to cause minimum trouble to the commuters, the work will be taken up in different phases.
They said the expansion joints of the flyover that allow for continuous traffic between bridge structures have not been repaired in the last five years, and required immediate maintenance. The PWD submitted the plan to the Delhi traffic police on two weeks ago for the work.
The traffic police approved the plan on Sunday, and the work began on Monday night, PWD officials said.
A senior PWD official said work has begun on the carriageway from Moti Nagar to AIIMS. The traffic police has allowed the work for 40 days, but officials said it could be extended.
The repair work could potentially trigger traffic jams on the busy stretch that is used by nearly 100,000 vehicles every day. The PWD official said in order to cause minimum trouble to the commuters, the work will be taken up in different phases.
In the first phase, work has begun on one carriageway, and it is expected to be completed by September 5. The repair on the other carriageway — from AIIMS to Moti Bagh — will begin on September 6 and will be finished by September 25, the official explained.
“The work is sure to increase the traffic problems in the area but more traffic cops have been deployed in the area to man the traffic, in order to ensure the jams are not prolonged. The only time when jams are likely to increase is during peak hours. More than 1,00,000 vehicles cross the stretch during peak hours every day. In the first phase of this project, the expansion joints of the flyover will be changed. The entire round of repairing work will be done in phases,” said a PWD official.
In the third phase, repair work will also be carried out on the Africa Avenue flyover, on the carriageway from AIIMS to Moti Bagh between September 26 and October 15, he said.
PWD officials said these stretches are riddled with potholes due to heavy rain, and the road surface here has to be resurfaced.
The traffic police are yet to issue specific diversions for the repair project. They have advised commuters going towards AIIMS and South Extension, from areas such as Naraina, Delhi Cantt, Dhaula Kuan, and Moti Bagh, to avoid this route.
“As of now, no diversions have been made on any of these stretches, as we feel the volume of traffic can be managed. The traffic is being directed to a service lane underneath the flyover. If the need arises, we will make a proper diversion plan and implement it immediately,” said a senior traffic police officer.
Ring Road was among 25 stretches across the city where reports of traffic jams continuing beyond peak hours were received by the traffic police control room between June 1 and June 25, a peculiar phenomenon that was witnessed when the traffic movement resumed after the second lockdown.
