The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has been tasked with preparing a detailed project report for a major infrastructure overhaul of Mehrauli-Badarpur Road in south Delhi, covering an approximately 8-kilometre stretch from Sangam Vihar to Badarpur. The project, approved by the Delhi government in March, is estimated at Rs 1,471 crore.
The problem on MB Road
MB Road is the primary arterial road for some of South Delhi’s most densely populated neighbourhoods, Sangam Vihar, Khanpur, Ambedkar Nagar and Pul Prahladpur. It also serves as a key crossing point to the Badarpur border for commuters travelling to Faridabad and parts of Haryana.
The road currently handles far more traffic than it was designed for. Roadside parking, pedestrian crossings and increasing vehicular pressure at key junctions have made congestion a daily reality for residents along the corridor.
“The present road capacity is inadequate to cater to the traffic demand,” a PWD official said, as per PTI.
What is planned
The proposal divides the corridor into sections, with different infrastructure solutions for each.
A nearly 5-km elevated corridor is planned from Sangam Vihar to Maa Anandmayee Marg. A separate 1.1-km elevated stretch is proposed from Pul Prahladpur towards Badarpur. Together, these elevated roads are intended to move through-traffic off the surface, reducing pressure at ground-level junctions.
A 1.9-km section between Maa Anandmayee Marg and Pul Prahladpur will be redesigned under the Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC) norms, which govern street planning for pedestrian access, public transport use and mixed traffic.
A second phase includes a 2.48-km six-lane elevated flyover above an existing Delhi Metro tunnel. Underpasses, subways and tunnel components are also part of the plan at various points along the route, as per PTI.
Integration with metro infrastructure
The corridor has been designed to work alongside existing and proposed Delhi Metro lines in the area, rather than independently of them. DMRC has been asked to prepare plans for pedestrian movement, parking and multi-modal integration around Metro stations along the route.
The PWD is separately examining the feasibility of a new road connecting Maa Anandmayee Marg to Harkesh Nagar Metro station, to be routed beneath the Metro viaduct.
Surveys and studies first
Before construction plans are finalised, DMRC’s consultant will carry out traffic volume surveys, origin-destination studies, parking assessments and road safety audits along the corridor.
The DPR will also cover land acquisition requirements, utility shifting, environmental impact and tree transplantation. Coordination with the National Highways Authority of India, Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Urban Art Commission and UTTIPEC will be part of the process.
The consultancy work has been estimated at Rs 1.47 crore. The feasibility study and DPR are expected to be completed within four months, the PTI report said.
Who stands to benefit
The corridor directly serves commuters from Sangam Vihar, one of Delhi’s largest residential clusters, who currently have no grade-separated road access on their primary route out of the colony. Residents of Khanpur, Ambedkar Nagar and areas around Pul Prahladpur, who use MB Road daily, will also be affected by the redesign.
For those crossing into Faridabad and Haryana via the Badarpur border, the project targets the congestion bottlenecks in the final kilometres on the Delhi side of the crossing. The project also includes detailed planning for pedestrian subways and footpaths, addressing movement for those who use the corridor on foot or to access Metro stations.