New Delhi: The chronic traffic bottleneck on south Delhi’s Aruna Asaf Ali Marg appears to have moved a step closer to a permanent solution, with Delhi govt approving a detailed feasibility study for a proposed elevated corridor on the busy stretch.Public Works Department (PWD) has sanctioned around Rs 2 crore for engaging a consultant to examine the technical, financial and environmental viability of the project.The corridor will cover 5.5 km to 6 km, beginning near Fortis Hospital and Kishangarh village in Vasant Kunj and extending to IIT Flyover at the Outer Ring Road-Aurobindo Marg junction.PWD minster Parvesh Verma said it is expected to create a signal-free stretch on one of south Delhi’s busiest traffic corridors, slashing travel time for commuters.
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It will serve as a crucial link for vehicles travelling from Mahipalpur and Mehrauli towards Outer Ring Road.Currently, heavy traffic, multiple intersections and local movements routinely lead to long queues on this stretch, particularly during morning and evening peak hours.Among the worst chokepoints are the traffic signal near Fortis Hospital, three cuts and two traffic lights in Kishangarh village, besides intersections near Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Sanjay Van, Qutub Institutional Area and Ber Sarai. Traffic often crawls through these stretches, delaying thousands of commuters every day.Verma said the study will assess present and projected traffic volumes, engineering design options, construction feasibility, environmental impact, land requirements and the overall cost of the project before recommending the final alignment and design of the elevated road.The proposed corridor is aimed at separating long-distance through traffic from local vehicles and improving traffic flow apart from easing pressure on the wider South Delhi road network. It is expected to benefit commuters travelling between Vasant Kunj, Kishangarh, JNU, Qutub Institutional Area, Ber Sarai and Outer Ring Road by reducing stoppages at traffic signals, cutting fuel consumption and lowering vehicular emissions.Traffic conditions on Aruna Asaf Ali Marg improved before the 2010 Commonwealth Games after Delhi govt constructed the flyover near JNU and Kishangarh. However, several at-grade intersections and traffic signals continue to create bottlenecks, making the proposed elevated corridor the next major intervention planned to address the stretch’s growing traffic demand.
