Flyover, subway, cable work on, traffic goes slow in Delhi's Punjabi Bagh

NEW DELHI: Traffic jams in west Delhi’s Punjabi Bagh show no signs of abating. The construction of a flyover and excavations for a subway and underground cabling work have paralysed the movement of vehicles in the area. Commuters who ply daily on the road claimed that the situation has only worsened with the passage of time.

The flyover is part of a corridor redevelopment plan and includes two sections: a 1.6km flyover between ESI Hospital and Bharat Darshan Park and a second flyover near the Moti Nagar intersection and going to Punjabi Bagh West. PWD is also constructing four U-turns and a subway as part of the corridor revamp.

Last Oct, PWD minister Atishi visited the spot and directed the officials to have the flyover finished by Jan, but agency officials now say the facility will likely be ready by March-end.

Ring Road at Punjabi Bagh has a heavy vehicular load. A major concern, therefore, is medical accessibility, with ambulances struggling to enter and exit the ESI Basai Darapur Hospital. Veena, an emergency medical technician, in the hospital said it is difficult to reach critical patients in time. “While there are massive traffic problems in area, people taking a diversion from the main flyover road jam the roads near Shivaji College, CK Birla Hospital and the road leading to Ghode Wala Mandir,” she said.

Ambulance driver Alam added, “Sometimes, we are late in picking up patients and face their anger. They can perhaps empathise with me only if they drive through this madness.”

Motorists are often stuck and take up to two hours to drive out of Punjabi Bagh. “Traffic policemen are present but only to enforce rules. Also, there is so much dust but no measures such as sprinkling water,” said a daily commuter. Ravi, an e-rickshaw driver who lives right behind the main road, tries to avoid the stretch. “The situation has been bad for many months,” he said. “Prolonged jams are routine.”

Kumar, another auto driver, claimed that driving in Punjabi Bagh was a loss-incurring exercise because they ended up wasting hours of their time stuck in traffic. The dilapidated roads also damaged their vehicles, he said. “It’s relatively early in the morning that is why I dared to come here,” he told TOI. “Otherwise, I say no outright to passengers wishing to go to Punjabi Bagh.”

Sumit, an employee in a private company in Mayapuri who rides his motorcycle to office, said, “We have been suffering for over a year. The morning and evening traffic jams the roads and leaves the entire Punjabi Bagh choked.”

Traffic marshals deployed on the stretch assured that the situation would get better soon. Marshal Rajender Prasad said, “The road which is wide for the most part suddenly narrows down at the point of construction and creates a bottleneck. This is what is causing problems.”

Another marshal, Anand, added, “The girders of the flyover are yet to be put up. Once they are installed using hydraulic cranes, the machines will leave and the road will clear up a bit.”