Gurgaon: Bakhtawar Chowk — one of the city’s busiest intersections — could eventually see traffic moving across four levels if a proposal being explored by GMDA is found feasible.The metropolitan authority has asked Gurugram Metro Rail Limited (GMRL) to study the feasibility of constructing an underpass at the junction connecting NH8 and Satpaul Mittal Marg, where the proposed Sector 47 metro station on the Millennium City Centre-Cyber City corridor is also planned.A senior GMDA official said, “We have asked GMRL to undertake a feasibility study and make provision for an underpass during the piling and pier construction works so that it can be built beneath the proposed double-decker structure in the future.” The detailed design consultant engaged for the metro project has been tasked with examining the viability and submitting the report to GMDA.This comes after GMRL proposed a double-decker structure at the junction in place of the originally sanctioned underpass plan between Millennium City Centre and Subhash Chowk on Netaji Subhash Marg. Under the revised proposal, the metro viaduct and an elevated road would be stacked on a common structure. Now the authority has asked GMRL to ensure provisions for a future underpass beneath the double-decker structure are incorporated while designing and constructing the metro infrastructure.If found feasible, Bakhtawar Chowk could see a four-level traffic system at the intersection, with an underpass carrying through traffic below ground between Medanta Hospital and Tau Devi Lal Stadium on one side and Sector 47 on another side, vehicles moving through the junction at surface level, and the proposed metro-cum-elevated road structure above between Millennium City Centre and Subhash Chowk.Officials said such a design would help segregate traffic streams and improve movement at a junction that is expected to witness increasing traffic volumes in the coming years. The GMRL official said it is already moving ahead with the double-decker plan as the ministry of housing and urban affairs has approved the proposal. The construction of the double-decker is part of the phase 1 of online metro corridor project.The junction sees traffic from Millennium City Centre, Subhash Chowk, Chaudhary Bakhtawar Singh Road and Satpaul Mittal Road. Traffic studies carried out for the project indicate that the intersection currently handles more than 10,000 passenger car units (PCUs) and is packed with bumper-to-bumper traffic during rush hours. Volumes are expected to rise further with the upcoming IKEA store in Sector 47.The decongestion of this junction has been planned by GMDA since 2021 to form a part of the proposed inner ring road connecting Atul Kataria Chowk and Sector 3, 4, 5 and 7 through Signature Towers, Millennium City Centre, Hero Honda Chowk, Basai Chowk and the railway station.Initially, a flyover at Bakhtawar Chowk was proposed in April 2021 by GMDA between Millennium City Centre and Subhash Chowk. The plan was revised to an underpass in Jan 2023, with an estimated cost of Rs 80.4 crore. However, work could not begin due to uncertainty over the alignment of the proposed metro corridor between Millennium City Centre and Cyber City. In April last year, it was decided that GMRL would take over execution of the project. Earlier this year, GMRL proposed a double-decker structure instead, citing limited space and the city’s persistent waterlogging.
