Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday inaugurated the three-lane Sarai Kale Khan flyover extension, facilitating signal-free commute from ITO towards Ashram.
Speaking at the event, the chief minister said his government has saved around ₹16 crore in the execution of the project and ₹557 crore in the construction of 30 flyovers in the last five years.
“This feat should be mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records,” he said.
While citing the facts related to development of flyovers and underpasses in the national capital since independence, Kejriwal said that till now, 102 flyovers and underpasses have been constructed in Delhi among which 30 have been constructed by the AAP government in the last eight years.
The chief minister also claimed that in the coming times, 25 more flyovers are being constructed. Nine flyovers are under-construction and another 16 are at the stage of approval. This will lead the tally to more than 125.
PWD minister Atishi while speaking at the inauguration event said that Sarai Kale Khan and Ashram region were earlier synonymous with traffic jams, but in the last few years, “it has been transformed”.
Here are the five things to know about the flyover:
- The new flyover at Sarai Kale Khan will facilitate the commute from Ghaziabad and ITO towards Ashram crossing as the area witnesses merging traffic coming from Akshardham, Delhi-Meerut expressway and Mayur Vihar. With the RapidX coming up at Sarai Kale Khan, the traffic is expected to increase further, a PWD official has said.
- Earlier, there was a one-way flyover for vehicles plying from Ashram towards ITO, but the opposite carriageway witnessed regular traffic congestion at the signal on T-junction between the road coming from ISBT and Ring Road, he added.
- Arvind Kejriwal while addressing the gathering said that a 16-km stretch on Ring Road from Chandgi Ram Akhara to Ashram Chowk has been made signal free and a detailed study is being carried out at congestion points in Delhi for finding solutions such as U-turns, flyovers to make city traffic congestion-free.
- Atishi emphasised that the flyover will save ₹19 crore annually in terms of fuel and 5 tonne carbon dioxide emissions everyday.
- The work on the three-lane flyover started in July 2022, and the feat has been accomplished in one year and three months. “Two U-turns have been provided. The project will help reduce pollution, save time for commuters who get stuck at the red light,” said OP Tripathi, PWD engineer-in-chief.
Kejriwal also congratulated and thanked everyone involved in the construction of the flyover including PWD officials, engineers, contractors, agencies, and workers.
Source: Hindustan Times
