Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar opens rail bridge, but you can’t use it now

GURGAON: Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday inaugurated a railway overbridge (ROB) meant to make way for seamless travel from Basai Chowk to Dwarka Expressway. But the four-lane overbridge — for now — leads to a dead-end.
Built by the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) at a cost of Rs 23 crore, the ROB originates at Basai village, crosses over the Delhi-Rewari railway line and ends near Dhanwapur village of Gurgaon.
It is located some 500-700 metres from an under-construction underpass at Kherki Majra, which – once built by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) – will connect directly to Sector 102 and the sectors onwards. In theory, two service lanes on either side of the underpass will link to the Dwarka Expressway.
Construction of the underpass is held up, NHAI officials said on Friday, as a 30m land parcel is yet to be given to it by the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA). Construction for the service lanes is yet to begin.
The portion between the ROB and the underpass/service lanes is largely empty, with no utility for commuters until these structures are completed.
A senior NHAI official said on Friday that GMDA is yet to hand over land to build the underpass ramp. “We have written to GMDA several times to hand over the land, but we are waiting. A major section of the underpass has been completed and we will make the approach section to the underpass as soon as GMDA gives the land,” the official said.
GMDA officials, when asked about the ROB, said the land acquisition process for the 30m parcel was underway and a private agency was set to begin work on the service lanes.
“The contracting agency has assured us that they will build the service road on the right-hand side of the underpass in the coming days and will later do the left-side service lane. Meanwhile, the government has issued a notification under Haryana Consolidation of Project Land (Special Provisions) Act, 2017, for acquisition of the 30m land patch to complete the underpass. The matter is under process,” a senior GMDA official said.
The ROB is one of the components of a larger project to ease the commute between Umang Bhardwaj Chowk and Dwarka Expressway, in the process also facilitating smoother travel to sectors 102 to 115. Apart from the overbridge, a flyover at Basai and a foot-over-bridge at the Basai Chowk were inaugurated late last year.
In Friday’s address, CM Khattar dedicated the ROB to the people of Gurgaon.
“In time, the newly constructed ROB will be instrumental in decongesting traffic by facilitating better connectivity between Hero Honda Chowk (which precedes Basai Chowk by 5km), Dwarka Expressway and the adjoining sectors (102-115). GMDA is actively working towards the development of road infrastructure in Gurgaon and projects are being conceived to equip the city with a robust road network, in view of growth and expansion foreseen for the smart city,” the chief minister said.
Residents said the ROB was of no use for them until the other sections of the revamp project were completed. “Throwing open the overbridge to commuters serves no purpose as of now," said Sunil Sareen, RWA president of Imperial Gardens society in Sector 102.