New Delhi: The construction of a 750-metre-long underpass at the Ashram intersection on Mathura Road is delayed yet again and the deadline has been pushed by two months, Public Works Department (PWD) officials involved in the project said on Saturday.
According to the officials, the revised deadline of the project is now August 31. The earlier one was June 30. The delay will add to the traffic woes of thousands of commuters who rely on the stretch and residents who live nearby.
Ashram Chowk is an important link connecting central and south Delhi with the satellite towns of Noida and Faridabad.
This is the third time that the deadline of the project has been pushed. Its foundation stone was laid by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on December 24, 2019. The project's initial deadline was December 2020.
PWD officials said currently the construction work of the tunnel just beneath the Ashram intersection is being carried out, while the work on the ramps of the underpass is in the last leg.
They added that the traffic diversions on the Ashram intersection are likely to be eased in September.
Traffic police data shows that around three lakh vehicles cross the Ashram intersection every day during peak traffic hours.
"We are diligently working to finish the project within the given time frame. The underpass is likely to be ready for use in September this year," an official said.
Once the project is completed, travel times to Sarita Vihar, Badarpur and Faridabad from ITO will reduce.