The newly inaugurated Barapullah Phase-III corridor eased traffic pressure near Sarai Kale Khan on its opening day on Tuesday, but the increased flow exposed fresh pressure points at Suryaghadi and the Ashram junction, where traffic from the elevated corridor merges with the existing road network.
The new corridor, connecting Mayur Vihar, Phase I, with the Sarai Kale Khan side, is intended to provide a signal-free link between East and South Delhi and reduce the load on the Ring Road. On the first day, vehicles on the Ring Road near Sarai Kale Khan appeared to benefit from the diversion of traffic to the elevated stretch.
However, the relief was accompanied by congestion at the points where the new corridor connects with older roads. At Suryaghadi, vehicles travelling from Mayur Vihar towards AIIMS join the existing Barapullah Phase-I network. The increased volume led to slower movement at the junction, turning what should be a relatively short onward journey into a crawl during busy periods.
The Ashram junction also faced additional pressure as traffic from the DND, Sarai Kale Khan and the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway converged with vehicles using the new corridor.
Responding to The Tribune’s query, the Delhi Public Works Department said the corridor was not yet fully operational. “Traffic movement from Mayur Vihar towards AIIMS has now been opened for commuters. The carriageway from AIIMS towards Mayur Vihar will be opened by tomorrow afternoon, further facilitating smooth movement of traffic on the corridor,” a senior PWD officials said.
Barapullah Phase-III was approved in 2014 and was originally scheduled for completion in 2017. After several delays, the project was opened at a revised cost of about Rs 1,635 crore.
Following the 3-km traffic jam, the authorities are considering closing traffic at the Suryaghadi cloverleaf and directly linking traffic from Barapullah Phase-III with Barapullah Phase-1. A decision on the proposal could be taken in the next few days. After the situation on the first day, transport experts see few other immediate and viable alternatives.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) Sanjay Tyagi said several options were being considered in view of the traffic problems. A PWD official said closing the cloverleaf was being examined as an immediate measure.
