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Massive sinkhole beneath IIT-Delhi flyover repaired, traffic resumes

August 01, 2021 20:22 IST

A massive sinkhole on the road under IIT-Delhi flyover was repaired overnight, allowing vehicular movement in the area, officials said on Sunday.

 

IMAGE: A portion of a road that caved in near IIT flyover, in New Delhi, on Saturday. Photograph: PTI Photo

The repair work was completed in 'record time' by workers of the Delhi Jal Board and the Public Works Department, they said.

'The tireless efforts of our @DelhiJalBoard officials have restored the broken water pipeline before yesterday midnight under the IIT flyover. Thereafter, our @pwddelhi officials worked round the clock and repaired the sunken road under the IIT flyover in record time,' PWD Minister Satyendar Jain said in a tweet.

Jain said water supply in the affected areas was restored by midnight by the Delhi Jal Board.

A senior PWD official said efforts were initiated immediately to repair the cavity on the road.

Since the cavity was 40 feet long and 12 feet wide, maintenance work needed to be done very carefully, he said.

On Saturday, a portion of the road under the IIT-Delhi flyover had caved in following rains in the national capital.

The Delhi Traffic Police had asked commuters to take alternate routes.

The PWD had said that the cavity happened because of a leak in an underground Delhi Jal Board (DJB) line.

The PWD official on Sunday said the repair work was of complex nature due to the underline pipeline but it was done speedily in view of the obstructed traffic.

"Now we have allowed straight traffic on Aurobindo Marg by repairing the road. Efforts are still on for repairing the side lane on Outer Ring Road," the PWD official said.

The crossing has now been opened for regular traffic.

However, associated deep sewer work by the Delhi Jal Board is underway at the at-grade road towards IIT-Delhi, police said in a statement.

'Vehicles coming on Aurobindo Marg from AlIIMS would not be able to turn right on the at-grade road towards IIT-Delhi. Vehicles coming along the at-grade road along IIT flyover from Outer Ring Road, Panchsheel side would not be able to go straight across the IIT crossing,' the statement said.

Only one lane would be available for traffic coming from Adchini on Aurobindo Marg, the statement said.

'Due to the current scenario, vehicles coming from AIIMS on Aurobindo Marg and seeking to turn right towards IIT can take a left turn on Outer Ring Road, take a U-turn under Panchsheel flyover/Panchsheel Crossing and use the IIT flyover to cross over towards IIT-Delhi.

'Alternatively, they can go straight on Aurobindo Marg and take a U-turn at Mother's International School T-point or from Adichini T-point,' it said.

'All commercial vehicles on Aurobindo Marg from Mehrauli, seeking to take a left turn towards IIT-Delhi at the crossing, can take a left turn at Adichini Crossing on Shaheed Jeet Singh Marg. They can go towards Aruna Asif Ali Marg, Vedant Deshika Marg for their onward travel,' the statement added.

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