Sarita Vihar flyover to be shut for repairs, traffic likely to be hit

THE CARRIAGES of Sarita Vihar flyover will be closed for 60 days, from May 1 to June 30, announced the Public Works Department (PWD) on Monday as it has decided to start repair and expansion work on the stretch. In 2023, the PWD had made all arrangements following approval for the work, however, it later postponed it.

The PWD will carry out the project in four phases, said an official, adding: “The expansion joint and repair work will be carried out during this period. The old flyover, which was constructed in 2001, is in dire need of repair. A few days ago, the PWD had sought a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the traffic police for carrying out the expansion and repair work on the stretch, and got approval... The PWD had conducted a structural audit of the flyover before applying for NOC, and the traffic police approved it. The work will now begin.”

Usually, over lakhs of commuters travel from Mathura Road to Delhi-faridabad via the flyover. In the coming days, they will face a “slightly more” traffic along the way.

“According to the plan, it will take 30 days to repair each carriageway, while an alternative carriageway will remain open for vehicular movement. Over the four phases, the flyover will never be shut completely... half a lane of the carriageway would be open for traffic,” said a PWD source. “The flyover portion from Ashram to Badarpur will be repaired in the first and second phases, and work will be carried out on the stretch from Badarpur to Ashram in third and fourth phases.”

After coming up with several new routes as alternatives, the Delhi traffic police issued a traffic advisory, asking commuters to avoid the stretch to avoid traffic jams.

“We will ask all the commuters to make their travel plans in advance, and choose an alternate route to avoid delay, especially for the airport and railway stations. It has been also decided that the movement of heavy and commercial vehicles on Mathura Road, towards Sarita Vihar flyover, would be restricted as and when required to ensure a smooth vehicular movement,” another official said, adding that commuters travelling from Ashram on Mathura Road towards Badarpur and Faridabad would be advised to follow Road No. 13A from the slip road of Sarita Vihar flyover, and then take a U-turn from Road No. 13A to reach Mathura Road.

Archive It will be closed for 60 days, from May 1 to June 30.