New Delhi, 29 September (H.S.): Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday dedicated development projects worth Rs 1,941 crore to the people of Delhi under the Seva Sankalp campaign. He inaugurated Phase III of the Barapullah Elevated Corridor and the Mukarba Chowk underpass, and laid the foundation stones for the Modi Mill flyover and the Loni Road Gol Chakkar underpass.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed her gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying that improved coordination and cooperation between the Central and Delhi governments was accelerating the development of modern, robust and citizen-centric infrastructure in the national capital. She said the two governments were committed to addressing long-standing needs of Delhi residents and strengthening connectivity across the city.

Addressing the gathering organised on the occasion, the Chief Minister said Delhi needed a strong network of roads, flyovers, underpasses and elevated corridors to facilitate movement between different parts of the capital, ease traffic congestion and save commuters’ time. She described the projects launched on Tuesday as an important step in that direction.

Union Minister of State Harsh Malhotra, MP Rambir Singh Bidhuri, Delhi ministers Parvesh Sahib Singh, Ashish Sood, Sardar Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Kapil Mishra, Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh, several MLAs and senior officials were also present on the occasion.

Gupta said improved coordination between the Central and Delhi governments at the levels of policy, planning and implementation was directly benefiting residents. She said the Delhi government was working with the Centre to expand modern infrastructure in the capital in line with Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Viksit Delhi’.

She said the projects being dedicated to Delhi were not merely roads, flyovers and underpasses, but important infrastructure aimed at saving millions of commuters’ time, improving connectivity, facilitating smoother movement and enhancing the quality of life.

Taking a swipe at the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi, Gupta said development projects during its tenure had remained “stalled, delayed and directionless”. She said her government was focused on completing long-pending projects.

Delhi Public Works Department Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh described Tuesday as an important day for the capital’s infrastructure. He said the inauguration of Barapullah Phase III and the Mukarba Chowk underpass, along with the foundation stones for the Loni underpass and the Modi Mill-Savitri Cinema flyover projects, represented significant steps towards improving Delhi’s connectivity. He thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for supporting the city’s infrastructure development and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for her leadership.

The inauguration of Barapullah Elevated Corridor Phase III is expected to strengthen signal-free connectivity from Mayur Vihar Phase I through Sarai Kale Khan towards South Delhi and AIIMS. The new Phase III stretch connects Mayur Vihar Phase I with Sarai Kale Khan and integrates with the existing Barapullah network. The corridor is designed to provide a faster, uninterrupted route between East and South Delhi and improve connectivity for commuters travelling between Delhi and Noida.

The project incorporates dedicated facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, along with multiple loops designed to facilitate smoother movement in different directions. The corridor is expected to benefit commuters travelling between East Delhi, South-East Delhi and Noida while helping reduce traffic pressure on major arterial roads.

The Mukarba Chowk underpass has been developed to streamline traffic movement along the Outer Ring Road. The project comprises two vehicular underpasses and a pedestrian underpass. It is expected to facilitate direct movement for traffic travelling from Badli and Rohini towards Azadpur and Jahangirpuri without requiring vehicles to enter the Mukarba Chowk interchange. A separate underpass for pedestrians and non-motorised traffic near Haiderpur Badli Mor Metro Station is also intended to improve safety and ease movement.

To strengthen the road network in South Delhi, the foundation stone was laid for the extension of the Modi Mill flyover towards Kalkaji and the further strengthening of signal-free movement towards IIT Gate. The project is intended to ease traffic pressure at key junctions, including the Captain Gaur Marg-Outer Ring Road corridor, and improve connectivity between Nehru Place, Kalkaji, Greater Kailash and adjoining areas.

The foundation stone was also laid for a new parallel flyover at the Savitri Cinema junction. The proposed structure is aimed at easing congestion around the Outer Ring Road and the Greater Kailash-II Road and facilitating smoother movement towards Nehru Place, Okhla and surrounding areas. The Modi Mill extension and Savitri Cinema flyover projects have been sanctioned as part of a combined infrastructure package for South Delhi.

The foundation stone was also laid for the proposed four-lane Loni Road Gol Chakkar underpass. The project is intended to improve traffic movement between Loni Road and Shahdara and reduce congestion at the Loni Road roundabout. Once completed, the underpass is expected to reduce the need for vehicles travelling to and from Loni to stop at the roundabout, thereby facilitating smoother movement towards Shahdara.

The four infrastructure initiatives form part of a broader effort to improve road connectivity, ease congestion and strengthen urban mobility across Delhi.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar