Two-half flyovers, signal-free travel to airport: Delhi govt seeks funds from Centre to decongest Outer Ring Road stretch

Indian Express

21 hours ago

Even as it was first proposed in 2016, the Outer Ring Road Integrated Corridor Redevelopment Project, which aims to ease travel from Southeast Delhi to neighbouring cities and the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), never took off. In a fresh push to the decongestion plans, the Delhi government has now sent a proposal to the Centre to seek funds for the construction of two half-flyovers at Modi Mill and Savitri Cinema intersection.
The estimated cost of this project, which aims to decongest a 7.2-km long stretch, is Rs 411.97 crore, said officials, adding that it will help cut the time between Modi Mill or Okhla in Southeast Delhi to Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) by 15-20 minutes. Traveling from Southeast Delhi to the airport and neighbouring cities like Faridabad and Gurgaon will also be smoother. The mega corridor redevelopment project will also ease traffic in the upscale areas in close proximity.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta recently reviewed the project at a meeting with the Public Works Department (PWD). The Delhi government has sought funds from the Centre under the special capital projects funds, said officials. 'A proposal has been submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development on July 21,' said a senior PWD official. There are six elevated corridors at the 7.2-km stretch, which is at the centre of the project, at Khel Gaon, Nehru Place, Savitri Cinema, Chirag Dilli, Kalkaji, and Modi Mill (Okhla ) flyover.
'The redevelopment plan includes construction of two half-flyovers at Modi Mill and Savitri Cinema intersection. Currently, on this stretch, there are two single flyovers at Savitri Cinema and Kalkaji. The stretch provides one-way connectivity towards IIT Delhi. However, those coming from IIT towards Okhla suffer as there is no parallel flyover. So, the department is planning to make two half flyovers, and extend the Modi Mill flyover to the proposed Kalkaji flyover,' another official explained.
Currently, there are around eight traffic signals and intersections at a distance of every 500-600 metres at the stretch. These intersections provide connectivity to surrounding areas like Okhla Industrial area, Sukhdev Vihar, CR Park, Kalkaji Temple, Nehru Place, and Greater Kailash. 'Once, the financial approval comes and departments receive the required budget for the project, the tendering process will begin,' said the official, adding that with the integration of flyovers, the traffic signals will be removed and the stretch will become signal free.
At present, the Modi Mill intersection often sees traffic due to the congestion in Okhla Mandi. 'On average, the 7.2-km stretch sees more than two lakh vehicles plying daily, including both light motor vehicles and heavy vehicles … It is also one of the arterial stretches for residents of nearby upscale colonies like Greater Kailash, CR Park, Chirag Dilli, Pamposh Enclave, Panchsheel Park, Green Park, Kalkaji, Okhla and others to reach the airport and Gurgaon…,' the official explained.
Officials also said that there are also plans to widen the Okhla flyover by 2 metre on both sides and provide back-to-back U-turns to connect nearby colonies. 'The merging of these two flyovers will make the stretch signal free and the vehicles, coming from the Okhla Mandi side, can take U- turn to go towards Nehru Place or IIT side smoothly,' the official explained.
The project received a nod from the road engineering authority— Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (UTTIPEC) — last year. The PWD then sent the project to the previous AAP government to seek approval for financial sanction, but did not get a go-ahead, officials said.