Ashram underpass trial run begins
The much-awaited underpass at the busy Ashram crossing in south Delhi which is used by many Okhlaiites too opened one carriageway of the facility for commuters on Tuesday.
“At present, we have opened only one carriageway going towards Nizamuddin from Badarpur for vehicular movement. There was some cleaning and finishing required on the other side of the underpass (Nizamuddin to Badarpur) so we could not open it in the morning. Traffic will be allowed on this carriageway as well by the evening,” a PWD official told PTI.
The vehicular movement in the underpass will not be allowed at night.
A few days ago, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who also holds the PWD portfolio had said that the underpass will be opened for the public from March 22.
The Deputy Chief Minister said last year the construction work of Ashram underpass had to be stopped several times due to Covid induced lockdown. “This has delayed the completion of the underpass but now the construction work has resumed and is in its final stage. From March 22, this underpass would be opened for traffic, which will benefit lakhs of people daily,” he said then when he had gone to take stock of the work of works of Ashram flyover and the underpass between Pragati Maidan to Nizamuddin.
Then he had directed the concerned officials to complete the construction works expeditiously so that people can use these roads at the earliest.
Sisodia said lakhs of people use these routes to commute daily to ITO, Ring Road, Central Secretariat, India Gate, Central Delhi. He said the construction work of Ashram flyover will be completed by August and the Pragati Maidan underpass being built in collaboration with Delhi Government and Central Government will be completed by May.
