In a crucial step to ease traffic snarls in North-West Delhi, a flyover-cum-railway overbridge will come up in Narela by April 2019. This will be the widest flyover in the national Capital having a six-lane carriageway, two lane for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, footpath track, and cycle track, etc.
Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday laid the foundation stone of the Rs 437. 21-crore project, which includes Rs 55.59 crore for construction of railway overbridge (ROB).
It is estimated that the flyover-cum-ROB would cater to over 16 lakh commuters every day. This is the second project being funded by the Urban Development Ministry. Delhi’s first “mega skywalk” at ITO was the first project funded by the Ministry.
The Narela project will come up at the busiest point which sees frequent gridlocks due to shutting down of level-crossing on busy Delhi-Karnal Railway line. There is a grain market (Anaj Mandi) and a FCI godown near the railway crossing. According to Ministry’s officials, the project is the part of the Urban Extension Road-1 (UER1) and this would provide the vital missing link and create connectivity on either side of UER-1.
The project is being funded with a financial assistance of Rs 349.77 crore (80 per cent of the cost) from the Urban Development Fund and DDA will contribute Rs 87.44 crore. The total length of flyover-cum-ROB is 1,680 metre, including 60 metre ROB. The flyover will be 51-metre wide. The length of straight ramps is 430 metre.
Speaking on the occasion, Puri said nowadays Delhi is facing several challenges and the most critical challenge is population pressure. “All the time in Delhi, there is traffic congestion and the Government is taking several steps for decongestion and the construction of this flyover is part of it,” the Minister said.
For smooth flow of traffic in the area, Puri said, there is need for Phase-4 of Metro Project. He said he would like to appeal to the Chief Minister of Delhi to prepare a proposal and submit it for finalisation by the Government of India. The Union Minister assured that the flyover would be completed in 15 months.
The Urban Extension Road-1 (UER-I), proposed as per the provisions made under the Master Plan for Delhi 2021, has already been completed from NH I to Bawana, except the stretch over FCI godowns and the railway line. According to the Ministry, the total cost of the project is Rs 437.21 crore, which includes Rs 55.59 crore for construction of the ROB.
The construction of the ROB is already in progress by the Railways. When completed, this will be the widest flyover in Delhi with a width of 51 metre. This flyover-cum-ROB will have six lane carriage way, two bus lanes for BRT corridor and provision of footpath and cycle track, multi-utility zone for services.
This is one of the five projects approved for funding of Rs 643.58 crore through the Urban Development Fund by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs for handling congestion in Delhi. The construction of UER-I is to connect Rajokri, Bijwasan, Najafgarh, NH-8, NH-10 and NH-1. The Eastern leg of UER-I will take off from Maan Anandimayi Marg and will bypass Mehrauli and Rajokri. The road will have Right of Way (ROW) of 100 metre.
The other projects involving construction of flyovers, underpasses etc., are coming up at Mahipalpur, ITO, ISBT and Rani Jhansi Road. All these projects when completed will definitely go a long way in improving the facilities and quality of life of the people of Delhi.
