Brace for jams at Atul Kataria Chk, flyover to be shut for a wk

GURGAON: The flyover at Atul Kataria Chowk will be closed from May 25 to May 31 to test its load capacity , deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said on Wednesday. The flyover was inaugurated in January. While authorities claimed that traffic will not be affected below the flyover, the closure is likely to impact the flow of vehicles around this crucial junction.
DC Yadav said, "The work of regular testing and observation of safety related standards is to be done on the flyover, therefore, normal traffic will be slightly affected. From May 25 to May 27 the road from Kapashera to the bus stand will be closed. Similarly from May 28 to May 31, the road from bus stand side to Kapashera will be closed."
He further said that the load capacity test would be carried out under the supervision of PWD-B&R officials and the work is to be done by a private agency. The agency has been directed to make suitable arrangements for smooth flow of traffic under the flyover, he said.
"During this, barricading will be done at necessary places and it has been asked to ensure that traffic marshals are also deployed to guide the commuters. To avoid traffic or any kind of chaos, the motorists can also use alternate routes or service roads," the DC added.
Approved in the first authority meet of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) in 2018, work on the Atul Kataria flyover project began in July 2019 with the initial deadline of November 2019. But the project missed several deadlines for several reasons, including Covid-19 and the consequent lockdowns and restrictions on construction due to high pollution in winter.
The project was executed by the public works department (PWD) on behalf of the GMDA. The junction is critical to commuters since vehicles moving from areas with a high footfall like Huda City Centre metro station, the Gurgaon bus stand, the railway station and Sheetla Mata Mandir intersect here.