Four major road infrastructure projects worth Rs.412 crore were inaugurated by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday. With this the movement of traffic from Mayur Vihar Phase-I to Gandhi Nagar in the trans-Yamuna Area has become signal-free.
The completion of these projects assumes significance as they are close to the Commonwealth Games Village that is coming up on the banks of the Yamuna.
Speaking at the inauguration of the ITO Chungi underpass, Shastri Nagar Pushta flyover, Geeta Colony bridge and Raja Ram Kohli Marg flyover, Ms. Dikshit said: “We promised to make Delhi a world-class city and develop all parts of the city including the trans-Yamuna area keeping in view this promise.’’
These four projects have collectively helped in significantly reducing the travel time in East Delhi. At ITO Chungi alone, the waiting time has come down to zero from about 10 to 15 minutes earlier as with the construction of an underpass and four clover leaves it has become signal-free.
The project has been constructed at a cost of Rs.81.77 crore in two years. It comprises a 750-metre-long underpass and four cloverleaves of nine metre width and 60 metre radius.
The Geeta Colony bridge over the Yamuna has been constructed at a cost of Rs.99.76 crore and it has provided an additional link over the Yamuna facilitating movement of traffic from East Delhi to Shanti Van.
The Rs.122 crore Raja Ram Kohli Marg flyover serves the Geeta Colony bridge and has made the intersection on its trans-Yamuna side signal-free.
The flyover at Shastri Nagar Pushta has been constructed at a cost of Rs.108 crore and it has made the Shastri Nagar intersection signal-free.
Delhi Finance Minister A. K. Walia, PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan and Education and Transport Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely were also present at the function.
Dr. Walia said the Delhi Government wants to develop Pushta Road on which these four projects have come up as the Ring Road of East Delhi so that there is signal-free movement from Noida to Wazirabad.
Mr. Chauhan spoke of how another three important infrastructure projects would be completed in trans-Yamuna area before the Games. He said while the Gazipur grade separator would come up at a cost of Rs.230 crore, the UP Link Road improvement would cost Rs.350 crore and Apsara Border flyover another Rs.240 crore.
