Gurugram: A year to deadline, but just 1/5th of Rampura Chowk-Pataudi road complete

GURUGRAM: Just one-fifth, or 22%, of work has been completed on the Rampura Chowk-Pataudi Road redevelopment project, six months after it began.
The GMDA has imposed a penalty of Rs 1.5 crore for the slow pace of work so far. Around one-third of the time allotted for the project, which has a deadline of 18 months for completion, has lapsed.
According to GMDA’s plan, the 5.6km corridor linking Rampura Chowk on NH-8 to Pataudi Road will get nine traffic junctions, as well as a “flexible” pavement, at a cost of Rs 56 crore. Flexible pavements bend due to traffic loads, making them less susceptible to damage and requiring fewer repairs over time.
GMDA officials blamed the slow pace of work primarily on obstructions caused by rains. “Work has been delayed mainly due to the monsoon season in June and July, due to which bituminous work could not be undertaken. As a result, work completed is not proportionate to the time that has lapsed,” said a senior GMDA official.
“We are now pushing the agency to make up for lost time and are optimistic that the project will be completed well before the August 2023 deadline,” said the official. Besides connecting two of the busiest road networks near Gurugram — NH-8 and Pataudi Road — the stretch has several gated condominiums, malls, markets, and other commercial spaces. According to a study of the corridor by GMDA, over 12,000 vehicles move between Rampura Chowk and Pataudi daily, including 1,800 trucks, multi-axle trucks, tractors, and heavy construction vehicles. The survey revealed that the road’s “crust” was insufficient to cater to the future traffic load and that many parts of the stretch had deteriorated already.
TOI had last month reported that despite six months having lapsed since the commencement of the project, the road remains a headache for commuters. It is riddled with potholes and reduced to a dirt road in some portions, with lots of dust flying around.
Although the project was conceptualised in 2020, commencement of work on it was delayed by several months because the tender had to be floated three times before it could finally be allotted.
Meanwhile, a temple falling in the alignment of the project is yet to be relocated. Located on the carriageway just before Aarvy hospital near Farrukhnagar, this structure, residents insist, is a massive hindrance to their commute and a big reason for traffic congestion along the stretch.
“For those of us familiar with the road, we reduce the speed of our vehicles and ensure we maintain distance from the vehicles in front as we approach that point. However, for drivers who are new to the area, the sudden narrowing down of the carriageway comes as a surprise, causing them to either swerve suddenly or hit the breaks, creating scope for an accident,” said Atul Srivastava, a resident of Sector 93.
GMDA officials said the relocation process is under way. “The land on which the temple is located falls under MCM’s jurisdiction.It will take a few weeks for the temple to be shifted but this should not affect the timeline of the project,” said a senior GMDA official.