Flyover repairs leave traffic in knots

New Delhi: It was mayhem on Outer Ring Road in south Delhi on Monday as the Public Works Department carried out

repairs

on the Savitri and Rao Tula Ram flyovers. Despite

traffic

police deploying personnel to divert traffic from

Savitri flyover

in the wake of TOI’s report on the chaos on Sunday, the carriageway from the airport remained choked as vehicles turning right towards Greater Kailash from Outer Ring Road found their way blocked by oncoming traffic.

Resident of Greater Kailash plan to meet the police commissioner and senior

PWD

officers over the problem. “We will approach senior people to chalk out a linear circulation plan for vehicles entering Greater Kailash until the work on the Savitri flyover is completed,” said Chetan Sharma, chairman of Federation of GKII Complex RWAs.

Massive snarls brought traffic along the Nehru Place flyover and Modi Mill to a standstill. The ripple effect was felt in Greater Kailash I and II, Masjid Moth, Chittaranjan Park and Alaknanda for the third consecutive day. The sole traffic policeman diverting traffic at the mouth of the flyover struggled to keep all traffic except the light vehicles away from the flyover.

The absence of a circulation plan led to a gridlock at the intersection of Outer Ring Road and GK main road in the peak hours. With only a group of inexperienced construction workers tasked to manage the traffic with flags, the one lakh vehicles and slow-moving carts turned the stretch into a nightmare for commuters.

DK Roy, travelling to Govindpuri from Chirag Dilli, was stuck at Chirag Dilli flyover for nearly an hour before he could turn towards Kalkaji. “There was no one managing the traffic,” he complained. “Cars wove in and out from all directions and drivers were confused about where to take turns.”

What aggravated the problem was the notorious disregard for traffic rules in the capital. In a situation that was already trying, many drivers crossed the dividers, got on the wrong side and scraped through the tiniest space available in a me-first frenzy that only added to the gridlock. Faced with either total unconcern or belligerence, traffic cops made only feeble attempts to impose discipline.

Commuters who got past the problem area and heading to the airport faced further trouble when they reached Rao Tula Ram flyover. PWD had closed one flank of the elevated road for repairing its joints. Though there was space for diversion of cars from under the flyover, confusion during the peak hours led to snarls. It was only by evening that chaotic situation was brought under control.