Delhi: 3 more months of wading through the Ashram maze

NEW DELHI: Motorists using Ring Road across the Ashram intersection, where extension work on the flyover is being carried out, will have to put up with congestion for at least another three months as the Public Works Department (PWD) estimates that the project will be completed by September this year.
“We were trying to complete the construction by August but looking at the amount of work remaining, it is expected to be completed by September,” a senior PWD official told TOI.
For commuters travelling from Sarai Kale Khan ISBT towards Ashram, heavy congestion, especially during peak hours, is a regular sight now. Moreover, work on the Ashram flyover extension, which will connect it to DND flyway, has also caused some damage to the Ring Road. As it is, the key stretch of one of Delhi’s most important arterial roads connecting the west, south and east to Noida used to witness a heavy flow of traffic. With the ongoing work, commuters have been forced to slow down due to the poor condition of the road.
A spot visit by TOI on Thursday revealed that with just two lanes on each side of the existing flyover at Ashram Chowk, the pace of traffic has been reduced significantly. Work on three supporting pillars is still on, after which the carriageway will be constructed. PWD is yet to take up the work of the foot overbridge, ramps, footpath, road signage and streetlights.
At the intersection near DND flyway, an inner ring road merges with the traffic coming from Noida and Sarai Kale Khan. The exit arm of the DND flyway and the Ring Road each have three lanes, which merge into three lanes towards Ashram. Due to this, traffic volume during peak hours is very heavy and free movement is restricted, often leading to bottlenecks.
To address this issue, the new flyover, which is estimated to cost Rs 128 crore, will be integrated with the existing flyover, which would mean traffic from AIIMS on the Ring Road can be directed towards DND flyway and vice-versa.
After completion of the underpass at Ashram Chowk, congestion has reduced to some extent in the area. Earlier, after many delays, the underpass was opened for trial on March 22 and was later inaugurated by deputy CM Manish Sisodia. The underpass is 410 metres long and covered with a roof to avoid waterlogging. CM Arvind Kejriwal had laid its foundation stone in 2019.