Key waterlogging spot: Delhi's Minto Road closed till September 2 for PWD repairs

NEW DELHI: Minto Bridge - a crucial artery linking old and New Delhi - has a reputation of sorts. It has become iconic as the symbol of the city's struggle with flooding. With the rainy season yet to be declared over, the bridge will be closed from Aug 31 night till Sept 2 morning to fill the numerous potholes that have emerged after the regular inundation throughout the monsoons. The closure of this road is certain to impact traffic flow in important central parts of the city.

Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory outlining diversions to be in operation during the bridge closure. Both carriageways on Minto Road will be blocked from Aug 31 to Sept 2 and vehicles will be rerouted through Outer Circle, Connaught Place and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg. The disruption will cause delays for motorists, particularly those travelling between Connaught Place and New Delhi Railway Station, as well as impacting those navigating the heavily used roads nearby.

Vehicles from Connaught Place via Minto Road will be diverted to Outer Circle and Barakhamba Road towards Turkman Gate/Kamla Market via Ranjeet Singh Flyover. Traffic from Kamla Market on Minto Road will be diverted to Ranjit Singh Marg and Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg (Tilak Bridge) towards Connaught Place via Ranjeet Singh Flyover, DDU Marg, and Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg.

Since Minto Bridge also connects Connaught Place with New Delhi Railway Station, passengers need to take heed. The alternative routes would be to go from the Connaught Place Outer Circle to the railway station through State Entry Road and Chelmsford Road, both of which are usually affected by heavy traffic congestion.

"The alternative route from Barakhamba Road is a simple one to be followed by commuters. They'll have to go straight instead of taking a left on Minto Road, and then they can use the Ranjeet Singh Flyover to move ahead," a traffic police officer said. "Traffic used to be heavy at Minto Bridge because the potholes and waterlogging slowed vehicular movement. The repair work is a good initiative, and it was much needed. We will try to ensure a smooth flow of traffic by enforcing diversions through the alternative routes."

Regular commuters will be inconvenienced. "I own a mobile shop in Mayur Vihar. I often go to Gaffar Market to buy mobile accessories and use Minto Road. Now it will take more time to reach the market and that will affect my business," grumbled Neeraj Gupta, 36.

Ashok Kumar, another motorist said, "I was going to Connaught Place for some work and had thought I would finish my work during the office lunch break. Now I will have to go back, and my work has been delayed, for which I will have to come some other day." He said it usually took him an hour to travel from Noida to Jantar Mantar, but due to the closure of Minto Bridge, he now would have to add 20-30 minutes to the trip.

The road under Minto Bridge, always known for its submergence in heavy rains, is badly damaged. The underpass has been identified as one of the top 10 waterlogging hotspots in the city, with the road-owning agency, Public Works Department, failing to remedy the situation.

In the monsoon season this year, a series of cracks and potholes appeared on the surface of the road but this could not be repaired because PWD usually avoids road repair during the rains because the bitumen does not adhere to the subsurface. "The road is extremely dangerous for two-wheeler users," said Bahadur, who was on a motorcycle.

The bell mouths of the drains on the site have been opened to allow the rainwater to flow to the underground sump and the gaps on the footpath have been covered with concrete slabs. However, in some places, these gaps still pose a threat to pedestrians.

In 2020, a 56-year-old man died when his mini truck was trapped in the accumulated water at Minto Bridge. Certain protocols were put in place to this yearly embarrassment, but these measures did not fail to stop the expected flooding. "The traffic police placed barricades to check vehicles here, but when there's heavy vehicular movement, the barricades are removed," a PWD official said.