The Delhi RTR flyover was partially closed after cracks appeared at two locations on its road surface, diverting traffic towards service roads and causing severe congestion on routes connecting the airport, Vasant Vihar and Gurugram. The affected carriageway runs from the Indira Gandhi International Airport towards Vasant Vihar.
The cracks were noticed on Wednesday, after which the Delhi Traffic Police informed the Public Works Department (PWD). The carriageway was closed temporarily as a precaution and repair work was started at both affected spots in coordination with the traffic police, according to the report by Live Hindustan.
The closure immediately reduced the available road capacity around the flyover. Vehicles travelling towards Vasant Vihar are being directed through the service road, where traffic is moving slowly. The diversion has created a bottleneck behind the flyover, with vehicles bound for other areas also getting caught in the congestion.
Traffic police officials said the disruption could continue until October 26, when the repair work is expected to be completed. The flyover will be assessed against safety standards after the repairs, and a decision on reopening the affected carriageway will be taken only after that inspection.
The Old Rao Tula Ram flyover is a heavily used route and regularly experiences congestion even when fully operational, according to the report. With one carriageway closed, vehicles that would normally use the elevated road are being concentrated on the service road, increasing travel delays for airport users and residents travelling towards Vasant Vihar and Vasant Kunj.
The impact has also spread to the Delhi-Gurugram corridor. Traffic moving towards Vasant Vihar was diverted towards Dhaula Kuan, increasing vehicle pressure near the Delhi-Gurugram border. Long queues began forming at the Sarhaul border at around 7.30 pm on Wednesday, extending beyond Shankar Chowk and creating a traffic jam of about three kilometres on the Jaipur-Delhi Highway.
A senior traffic police officer said the department had requested an update on Google Maps to show the affected carriageway as closed and guide motorists towards Vasant Kunj through the service road. Additional traffic police personnel have been deployed in the area to manage the diversion. Commuters have been advised to use alternative routes until the inspection and reopening process is completed.
