Delhiites and those from NCR will finally see respite in traffic snarls on and around DND as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has inaugurated the Ashram flyover extension today, i.e., on March 6, 2023. The flyover extension will allow motorcycles to bypass three traffic lights between Ashram Chowk and DND and make traffic movement much smoother. So rest assured, commuting between Delhi and Noida is now going to be hassle-free.
Ashram Flyover Extension: Opening Time & Traffic Advisory
If you are planning to take the extension route today, please note that it will be opened by the Delhi CM at exactly 5:00 pm today. As of now, commuters witness traffic jams from the DND loop to the Ashram intersection. People in their vehicles have to currently take a longer route to cross the road from Kilokari.
However, after the extension is open to public, vehicles will be able to take a U-turn to reach Maharani Bagh or south Delhi. Also, as per a PTI report, vehicles going from Maharani Bagh to Sarai Kale Khan, Noida, ITO and Ghaziabad will not have to take long detours. The report suggested that a subway is also being constructed for the pedestrians.
Ashram Flyover Extension: Why the delay?
Officials had initially said that the delay in opening the extension was because of then PWD Minister Manish Sisodia’s arrest, but Chief Minister Kejriwal denied the claims and later at a press conference said that the delay was due to some pending work. Kailash Gahlot, who was handed over the additional charge of Public Works Department (PWD) following Sisodia’s resignation, will be present at the inauguration of the flyover extension on Monday, PTI report suggested.
Former minister Manish Sisodia had said that it was major challenge to construct the flyover on such a busy road but the PWD engineers delivered on the challenge. He had said that once the extension was open, lakhs of people will see respite in commuting from Noida and other parts of Delhi to south Delhi as they will not have to face traffic jams.
The construction work of the flyover extension started in June 2020 after the project was approved by the Cabinet. The total cost of the project is Rs 128.25 crore while the total length of the flyover including the ramp is 1,425 metres, reported PTI.