Barapullah phase-2 delayed because of railway again, to finish by early 2018

It took almost one-and-a-half-years to get the permission from the railways

NEW DELHI: The Barapullah phase-2 project, extending the elevated corridor to INA Market and Aurobindo Marg in south Delhi, is set to miss its latest deadline of September 2017. The project is now likely to be completed by December-end or early next year, PWD officials said.

Phase-2 work was initially slated to be completed by 2015. But the project was held up for numerous reasons, including delays in getting permission to construct on railway land.

In the latest setback, construction work has had to be stopped following the high court’s order directing PWD to finish desilting of the Kushak Nullah to ensure there is no waterlogging during the monsoon season, a department official said.

“We have removed all machinery from the drain. The work will resume in September. It will take at least four months to complete the work,” said a senior PWD official.

PWD has also put on hold work on the elevated road running parallel to the phase-2 corridor, which will provide quick access to vehicles from the Kidwai Nagar redevelopment project.

PWD secretary, DJB and municipal corporation officials have inspected the drain early this month to check the desilting work and flow down the drain. A report submitted to the court on July 12, informed PWD official.

Once complete, Barapullah phase-2 will bring down travel time to airport-bound traffic from east Delhi. Commute time on the stretch will further reduce after phase-3, that will extend the corridor across the Yamuna to Mayur Vihar in east Delhi. Phase-3 is stuck due to delay in land acquisition in the Yamuna riverbed.

PWD officials said, after phase-3’s completion, travel time between Mayur Vihar and Aurobindo Marg will reduce to 15-20 minutes, from the current one to one-and-a-half hours.

“In phase-2, the corridor will be extended till Aurobindo Marg near Dilli Haat side. Once completed, traffic coming from Dhaula Kuan can directly get on to the Barapullah from the Ring Road to go towards east Delhi,” said a PWD official.

But phase-2 is stuck for nearly one-and-a-half years due to delay in getting permission from the railways. In Phase-2, the corridor will pass over ring railway tracks at Sewa Nagar. The PWD has to construct 12 piers on railway land.

“It took us almost one-and-a-half-years to get the permission from the railways. The crucial part was to install girders above the railway line. We finally got the permission in March this year. We will be constructing the piers in the drain while railways will install the girders. Of the 12 piers, work on four is remaining,” said an official.

PWD had started the work in April this year. “To install the girders, we have to take cranes and other machinery inside the drain. It takes nearly a month to prepare the surface in the drain for easy movement of cranes and other machinery. It will take another three-four months to complete the entire work,” said a PWD official.