New Delhi: A massive sinkhole on the road under IIT-Delhi flyover, which appeared on Saturday after rains, was repaired overnight, restoring vehicular movement in the area, officials said on Sunday. The repair work was completed in "record time" by workers of the Delhi Jal Board and the Public Works Department, they said.
"The tireless efforts of our @DelhiJalBoard officials have restored the broken water pipeline before yesterday midnight under the IIT flyover. Thereafter, our @pwddelhi officials worked round the clock and repaired the sunken road under the IIT flyover in record time," PWD Minister Satyendar Jain said in a tweet.
Jain said the water supply in the affected areas was restored by midnight by the Delhi Jal Board. A senior PWD official said efforts were initiated immediately to repair the cavity on the road.
Since the cavity was 40 feet long and 12 feet wide, maintenance work needed to be done very carefully, he said. On Saturday, a portion of the road under the IIT-Delhi flyover had caved in following rains in the national capital. The Delhi Traffic Police had asked commuters to take alternate routes.
The PWD official on Sunday said the repair work was of complex nature due to the underline pipeline but it was done speedily in view of the obstructed traffic.
The PWD had said that the cavity happened because of a leak in an underground Delhi Jal Board (DJB) line. However, this monsoon, four road cave-ins have been reported so far, including this one and one more on Sunday.
Sunday morning's showers led to extensive waterlogging at several road stretches across the city and affecting traffic movement and yet another road cave-in was reported along a portion near Mangolpuri, due to which traffic had to be diverted.
"Efforts are still on for repairing the side lane on Outer Ring Road," the PWD official said.
While the crossing has been reopened for regular traffic, associated deep sewer work by the DJB is underway at the at-grade road towards IIT-Delhi, police said in a statement.
Only one lane would be available for traffic coming from Adchini on Aurobindo Marg, the police statement said.
"Due to the current scenario, vehicles coming from AIIMS on Aurobindo Marg and seeking to turn right towards IIT can take a left turn on Outer Ring Road, take a U-turn under Panchsheel flyover/Panchsheel Crossing and use the IIT flyover to cross over towards IIT-Delhi.