Ashram-DND Extension flyover opening delayed till February end: Manish Sisodia
Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia on Thursday revealed that the Ashram flyover, which has been closed for the construction of the Ashram-DND Extension flyover, will not reopen on February 15 after inspecting the progress of the work. Sisodia stated that the construction is nearly complete and that the flyover will be operational by the end of February.
Why does this story matter?
The closure of the Ashram flyover, Delhi's most active flyover, due to construction work on January 1 has massively impacted Delhiites. As a result, the ring road and many other areas, such as Maharani Bagh, Mathura Road, and Shaheen Bagh, among others, are constantly congested in the morning. Long lines of vehicles can also be seen in the evening, trapping commuters for hours.
Ashram flyover closed for over 45 days
Since January 1 this year, the existing Ashram flyover has been shut amid the ongoing construction work of the Ashram-DND Extension flyover. Additionally, portions of the Maharani Bagh side have been demolished, and work is currently underway to connect it to the newly constructed Ashram-DND Extension flyover in order to reduce traffic congestion.
PWD's earlier deadline was February 15
The Public Works Department (PWD) had earlier set a February 15 deadline to complete work on the infrastructure project that caused major traffic jams at Ashram Chowk, Delhi's busiest intersection. A senior PWD official said more than 95% of the construction work is now finished.
Difficult task to build flyover in middle of traffic: Sisodia
Last week, Sisodia stated: "It was a herculean task to build a flyover in the middle of such a busy road, but the PWD engineers undertook the challenge." "It was a difficult task to build a flyover in the middle of traffic but our engineers overcame all such difficulties. The flyover extension will be opened by this month," HindustanTimes quoted him as saying.
Ashram-DND Extension flyover to solve traffic issues for Delhiites
The goal of the Ashram-DND Extension flyover, which will have six lanes, is to improve traffic flow between Noida and Ashram. The Delhi cabinet approved its construction in December 2019, and work began in June 2020. However, work was severely hampered due to the COVID-19 lockdown as well as Delhi's poor air quality.
Reason behind the delay in construction of Ashram-DND Extension flyover
The Ashram-DND Extension flyover construction work was delayed after the Arvind Kejriwal-led government imposed a ban on construction and demolitions in the national capital last year due to poor air quality. However, the construction of the flyover is currently in its final phase, and it is now expected that all work will be done by the end of this month.
