NEW DELHI: In a major relief to commuters between East and South Delhi, phase III of the signal-free Barapullah elevated corridor is finally complete after a delay of over a decade, and is expected to open for traffic in August, officials said on Friday.
The Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi government has communicated to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta seeking time for the formal inauguration of the crucial road link in the national capital.
This 3.5-kilometre elevated corridor, which has missed several deadlines since construction began in 2015, will connect Sarai Kale Khan in East Delhi with AIIMS in South Delhi.
Officials stated that once the corridor is operational, commuters travelling from Mayur Vihar and nearby areas to Sarai Kale Khan, AIIMS, and South Delhi will benefit from largely signal-free movement.
This will significantly reduce travel time and alleviate congestion at major traffic bottlenecks such as NH-24, DND Flyway, Ring Road, and Sarai Kale Khan. The project’s journey has been far from easy.
Approved in 2014 and initiated in 2015, it was originally targeted for completion in 2017. Instead, it became one of Delhi’s most delayed infrastructure projects, with setbacks ranging from a seven-year land acquisition dispute and environmental approvals to technical challenges associated with constructing a major bridge structure across the Yamuna floodplain.