Traffic merging from Mayur Vihar onto the newly opened Barapullah Phase III elevated corridor, along with vehicles from the Sundial loop and those approaching from the DND side, converges at Sarai Kale Khan before entering the narrower existing Barapullah flyover. This convergence results in significant traffic congestion, as the limited merging space causes long queues across all three lanes, affecting travel on both the new corridor and surrounding roads.
The Delhi Traffic Police, in collaboration with the Public Works Department (PWD), conducted a thorough examination of the corridor and identified the abrupt merging point and the disparity in road capacity as the primary causes of the traffic issues experienced since the flyover’s inauguration last Wednesday.
Moreover, officials highlighted a more substantial issue: the traffic dynamics for which the project was originally designed over a decade ago have evolved significantly by the time it became operational.
When the project was first planned, traffic patterns between East Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and South Delhi were markedly different. Although the corridor was initially scheduled for completion in 2017, construction delays extended the opening to 2026. During this period, vehicle numbers have surged, along with population growth in East Delhi and the broader National Capital Region (NCR), resulting in altered commuting behaviors.
The corridor was intended to alleviate traffic from some of the city’s busiest thoroughfares, such as the DND Flyway and National Highway 24. However, it is now attracting a significant volume of vehicles from these very routes, which is exacerbating congestion around the new flyover.
Phase III directs a considerable flow of traffic from the Mayur Vihar area towards the existing flyover. Traffic from the Sundial loop and the DND side compounds this issue, leading to a critical reduction in available road space where these streams merge.
Traffic officials have described the merging area near Sundial as sharply configured, lacking a gradual transition that would allow vehicles to smoothly join the existing flyover. In response, they have proposed modifying the design to create a more gradual curve for merging.
The lane setup further complicates the situation. While the new Phase III corridor accommodates three lanes, the existing flyover narrows at the merging point. Consequently, multiple lanes converge into a tighter space, causing vehicles to compete for limited room.
Authorities are contemplating the implementation of traffic management measures at the merging locations, including the possibility of traffic signals to regulate the flow of vehicles entering the existing flyover and to prevent large groups from arriving at the bottleneck simultaneously. In the interim, traffic personnel have been manually directing vehicles to manage the flow.
Since the corridor’s opening on Wednesday, reports indicate traffic jams extending for several kilometers, with commuters experiencing delays far exceeding the estimated travel times provided prior to the launch. This congestion has also impacted adjacent major roadways.
Officials have noted an information-related issue as well, stating that there is a pressing need for updates to navigation platforms like Google Maps to accurately reflect the new road layout and current traffic conditions. The goal is to guide drivers towards alternative routes, such as NH 24, when the Barapullah corridor reaches capacity.
D.K. Gupta, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), advised commuters to pay close attention to traffic updates, adhere to instructions from traffic personnel, and utilize alternative routes during peak hours. He emphasized the Delhi Traffic Police’s commitment to ensuring safe and efficient traffic movement for all road users.
