NEW DELHI: Repair work on the Old Rao Tula Ram (RTR) flyover ended Friday night, and trials are scheduled around Sunday midnight to determine whether the structure is fit to reopen to traffic on Monday morning, a Delhi Traffic Police officer said.
The critical flyover, which was shut after at least three cracks were detected on its main carriageway late Tuesday, has caused havoc for commuters, particularly those travelling between the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Gurugram and Vasant Vihar, as traffic has been diverted to narrow sidelanes, leading to kilometres-long serpentine queues.
The officer said the final decision on reopening the stretch will depend on the test results and clearance from the authorities.
“The repair work has been completed, and tests will be conducted around midnight to assess whether the flyover is fit for vehicular movement. The decision on reopening it on Monday morning will be taken after the inspection and clearance from the engineers,” the officer said.
The development follows a fresh advisory from the Delhi Traffic Police on Friday, warning commuters that the repair work could take another three to four days. The advisory said traffic restrictions could continue into the beginning of next week, as the newly laid concrete needs time to dry and cure.
Shuttering work and repairs to the cracked portions were complete by Friday, while the concrete was undergoing the curing process.
The closure has forced vehicles travelling from the airport and Gurugram towards Vasant Vihar to use the adjoining service road, leading to long queues and slow-moving traffic on several key arterial roads.
In its Friday advisory, the traffic police said congestion was being witnessed on National Highway 48, the Dhaula Kuan stretch and roads passing through the Delhi Cantonment area. Commuters were also diverting to alternative routes through NH-48 towards Dhaula Kuan and other roads in the cantonment area, adding to the traffic load on both carriageways, particularly during peak hours.
In Gurugram, traffic congestion was reported on a nearly six-kilometre stretch of NH-48 between Rajiv Chowk and Leisure Valley Park. Traffic near Atlas Chowk also moved slowly.
Traffic police have advised commuters to plan and allow extra travel time while restrictions remain in place.