Acting on the public demand, being raised for the past three years, the Public Works Department (PWD) has now announced to carry out the crucial repair works on the old Seelampur flyover in Delhi. This will include replacing expansion joints and carrying out various other necessary work.
The Delhi government has approved Rs 17.85 crore for this purpose. The flyover was built 19 years ago to provide signal-free traffic from Shastri Park toward the Apsara Border.
The first single flyover at the T-Point Lal Batti in Seelampur was built in 2006. At that time, traffic congestion wasn't as severe. The government built a single, three-lane flyover on the GT Road from Shastri Park to Apsara Border.
Over time, traffic congestion increased, and the flyover became a crucial connectivity link. The expansion joints on this flyover have damaged, posing a safety risk, especially for two-wheeled vehicles.
The extension joints are believed to be around 12 to 15 years old, and they are now completely worn out. The work to be undertaken includes repairing the broken road surface (honeycomb concrete), restoring expansion joints, and replacing the elastomeric pads and flyover bearings, which are installed to reduce the pressure exerted on the flyover.
ALSO READ: Ghazipur Landfill Clean-Up Slows Down; When Will Delhi's Largest Garbage Pile Be Cleared
The repair works were delayed as the PWD had submitted a proposal three years back, but due to a lack of funds, the proposal was not accepted.
The residents of the nearby areas or those who usually commute using the flyover may face certain restrictions or diversions in the coming weeks. A commuter, Kamal Kumar Sing,h said, "I travel daily from Tis Hazari Court to my home on the Naveen Shahdara flyover. The condition of this flyover has been deteriorating for several years."
ALSO READ: Delhi Paramedical Union Opposes Rehiring Of Retired Staff, Seeks DSSSB Recruitment
"I have complained to the Public Works Department several times. Some of its expansion joints are so bad that crossing them creates a jolt and poses a risk of accidents for high-speed two-wheelers," he added.