The drive to the domestic and international airport terminals from South and East Delhi and Noida will become easier as a flyover on Rao Tula Ram Marg (RTR) is finally ready for operation after the Delhi government's project missed six deadlines, the last being June 30.
The last mile bottlenecks like putting up signages and other issues like safety audit is still holding up the uniquely designed 2.7 km flyover from being thrown open for public, said an official.
The flyover was part of a larger plan to decongest the busy Vasant Vihar, South Campus and Moti Bagh corridors.
The other part of the project, the construction of an underpass linking South Campus with San Martin Road in Chanakyapuri, is now expected to be completed later this year as major hiccups have been cleared.
Work on the RTR flyover and underpass started in November 2014 with a deadline of November 2016.
But the flyover, between Munirka and Subroto Park on Outer Ring Road and awaiting trial runs, will only give partial relief as the construction of an underpass on South Campus will see light of the day only by the end of 2019.
"The underpass requires complex construction work," said the official.
The three-lane 1.5-km underpass is part of the RTR redevelopment project connecting the Benito Juarez Marg with San Martin Marg. It will be completed in December 2019.
"As part of the project, a three-arm skywalk will also be built connecting the South Campus metro station with Benito Juarez Marg and San Martin Marg," the official said, adding it will help the students most.
December 2019 is also the fresh deadline for completing another grand project of extending the Barapullah flyover to Mayur Vihar Phase I.
This project started in April 2015 and was to be completed by October 2017.
The signal-free Barapullah corridor includes four separate phases to allow smooth traffic between east Delhi and the Indira Gandhi International Airport. It will also reduce the travel time from Noida to the airport.
The first phase of the flyover, between Sarai Kale Khan and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, was opened for public in 2010, ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
The second phase, between Sarai Kale Khan to INA Market, was inaugurated last year after missing a number of deadlines.
"Once the 3.5 km stretch Phase III is completed, the travel time between Mayur Vihar to South Delhi will reduce to 15-20 minutes, from the present over one hour. It will also cut the travel time of east Delhi commuters to the airport," the official added.
(Nivedita Singh can be contacted at nivedita.singh@.in)
( With inputs from IANS )