Ghaziabad: Vasundhara flyover ready; to be operational by May end

GHAZIABAD: The Vasundhara flyover is expected to become operational by May this year. The UP Bridge Corporation, which is constructing the flyover, said that work on the central verge is pending along with joint fixing which will be over by next month after which it will be opened for public.

The six-lane flyover which is being constructed at an estimated cost of about Rs 65 crore promises to end jam at Vasundhara crossing thereby providing unhindered traffic movement from Mohan Nagar to Vasundhara and vice versa. “The length of the flyover is about 600 meter and is about 250 meter in width and will have six lanes, three on each side,” said Ajay Singh, project manager, UP Bridge corporation.

The project which has been funded from Ghaziabad Development Authority’s infrastructure fund got delayed which is attributed to NGT ruling due to which work was stalled for about a month. The 25 meter wide carriageway having three lanes each have been erected on separate pillars running parallel to each other and have ben conjoined at enteral verge.

GDA vice chairperson Kanchan Verma meanwhile said that the initial cost was pegged at Rs 49 crore which escalated to about Rs 65 crore. “It was because the cost of utility shifting was not included in the initial estimate,” said Kanchan Verma, vice chairperson, GDA.

The other flyover, Rajnagar Extension flyover, work on which was started by bridge corporation around same time however will get delayed. “The flyover falls in one of the busiest sections of road in Ghaziabad where heavy traffic passes at all times of the day and the bridge corporation gets very little window to work as a result of which it has got delayed,” said Verma. “However, the bridge corproration official have assured us that by May end at least half portion will be opened,” added Verma.

Ajay Singh, the project manager of UP Bridge Corporation, meanwhile, says, “We normally get only six hour window and that also in night to work as we cannot risk the lives of commuters during day time.” “For some time the work is happening at a halting pace because the traffic cops who earlier were managing diversions from active spots are on election duty and this has together hampering the progress of work,” added Singh.

The RNE flyover is also being made at an estimated cost of Rs 65 crore and has the same dimensions as Vasundhara flyover. “The only difference is that RNE flyover is being constructed on a bifurcated design with each carriage way will have separate lanes,” said Singh.

The RNE flyover once complete will provide a big relief to residents of Raj Nagar Extension as the Meerut bound traffic will mostly use it without disturbing the local traffic beneath it.