Badarpur jams may ease soon

Commuters getting stuck in jams at the Badarpur border crossing can expect a smooth ride from September-end. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials said the elevated stretch will be opened to traffic heading from Ashram to Faridabad on September 15. Subsequently, traffic heading from Faridabad to Delhi will be allowed on the second carriageway from September 25.

Sources said traffic diversions are in place to complete the remaining work on the road under the flyover. Hindustan Construction Company (HCC), developer of this 4-km elevated corridor, has set October 1 as the deadline for making the entire project operational. "But initially, traffic heading towards Faridabad will be allowed on the right carriageway. From September 25 it will be shifted to the left carriageway,'' said a senior NHAI official.

He added that the traffic diversion plan will be put in place well ahead if this gets implemented to help guide commuters. "Traffic from Delhi to Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, Jaitpur Road, Sarai bypass, Sector 37 will move on the left side on the ground road while traffic from Haryana to MB Road or Ashram will move on the right side on the ground road,'' the official said. From September 25, however, commuters heading from Ashram to MB Road, Sarai bypass, Sector 37 and beyond will be diverted to the left elevated carriageway and those heading from Haryana towards MB Road and Delhi will be diverted to the right elevated carriageway.

NHAI officials said though the official deadline of the project was December, the construction company has been able to complete work in record time. "Since major works are likely to be completed by October 1, there are chances of allowing the contractor to collect toll tax from that date. But we have not yet given the go-ahead,'' said a senior NHAI official.

The toll tax per trip per vehicle has already been fixed. Cars and jeeps will have to shell out Rs 20, light commercial vehicles need to pay Rs 30 and for buses and trucks one trip will cost Rs 60.

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