10 days on, barriers are back on CPR cloverleaf

GURGAON: Just 10 days after the Central Peripheral Road (CPR) - a part of the Dwarka Expressway project that links it with NH-8 and the Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) - was opened to traffic, its cloverleaf was closed again on Saturday.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) reinstalled barricades on the stretch citing safety concerns due to ongoing construction work on Dwarka Expressway.
Commuters, especially those from the new sectors who use the CPR to reach other parts of the city, were taken aback on Saturday morning when they found jersey barriers once again.
NHAI officials said they did not open the cloverleaf for traffic and requested the district administration to provide police assistance in closing it to avoid any mishap. The highways authority has also warned of legal action against anyone found trespassing or removing the barricades.
"We have not opened it in the first place, but instead requested the district administration to close it due to major safety issues. The road is not ready for traffic as we are still carrying out safety checks. An accident was reported on CPR just a few days ago. In the preliminary safety audit, it was suggested that a few more crash barriers be installed, while their alignment needs to be changed at some places. It is not advisable to open the road, which is unsafe and unregulated, to traffic," a senior official NHAI told TOI.
CPR was opened on May 24, a day after deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav said he would take up its closure with NHAI. The area's MLA, Rakesh Daultabad, had also pushed NHAI officials to open the road.
When contacted, Yadav said the decision of closing the cloverleaf was taken by NHAI due to major safety concerns and the administration provided police assistance as requested.
"Since the work has not been completed on Dwarka Expressway, NHAI decided to close CPR until all the safety parameters are met. We will assist them whenever they want," said Yadav.
Praveen Malik, the vice-president of United Association of New Gurugram, said the decision to close the cloverleaf is completely absurd. "When there is no construction happening on CPR, why can't they open the stretch to traffic? NHAI is making people suffer on a daily basis," he said.
"When the CPR was open, residents heaved a collective sigh of relief. After the closure, we feel cheated," said Dharamveer Singh, president of Mapsko Casabella RWA.