Commuters navigating the heavily congested stretches of South Delhi's Outer Ring Road may soon experience significant relief. To permanently eliminate the bumper-to-bumper traffic between Kalkaji and Chirag Delhi, where brief commutes often stretch into hours during peak hours, a comprehensive traffic corridor is being planned. Rather than relying solely on piecemeal construction efforts, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's government is examining the feasibility of constructing a continuous elevated corridor to streamline movement across this critical artery.
Ongoing Infrastructure Upgrades and Financial Allocations
Work on multiple existing infrastructure projects designed to ease traffic flow is already underway. Construction has commenced on adding a second lane to the single-lane Kalkaji flyover and directly linking it with the Modi Mill flyover. A combined budget of Rs 312.94 crore is being utilized for these two major projects. Additionally, construction on the second lane of the 435-metre-long Savitri Cinema flyover is set to begin shortly, with an allocated expenditure of Rs 58.81 crore.
Proposed 4-Kilometre Unified Corridor
While standalone flyover extensions offer localized relief, transportation experts note that disjointed structures cannot resolve the corridor-wide congestion completely. To address this, local MLA Shikha Rai announced plans to submit a comprehensive proposal to the Chief Minister. The proposal advocates for directly connecting the Kalkaji flyover to the Nehru Place flyover and further extending that structure to link with the Savitri Cinema flyover. If implemented, this unified connection would turn the approximately four-kilometre route from Modi Mill to Chirag Delhi into a seamless, uninterrupted drive.
Upcoming Site Inspection and PWD Assessment
The Public Works Department (PWD) is currently drafting a detailed technical feasibility report on the proposed unified link. According to MLA Shikha Rai, following the submission of this PWD report, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and PWD Minister Pravesh Verma will conduct a joint on-site inspection. This physical survey will help assess ground realities and evaluate the technical viability of linking all the flyovers into a single elevated network.
Severe Bottlenecks Stifling Outer Ring Road
Traffic congestion on the South Delhi Outer Ring Road has evolved into a persistent daily hurdle for commuters. Key bottlenecks near Bhairav Mandir, created by visitor parking alongside queues at three petrol pumps and a busy CNG station, restrict the road's effective capacity. As a result, multi-lane roadways narrow down to just 1 to 1.5 functional lanes. This severe constriction causes vehicular tailbacks that spill over to Nehru Place and adjoining areas, reinforcing the traffic department's view that a continuous elevated corridor is necessary to clear the bottleneck.
