PWD orders immediate inspection of all flyovers

With rising cases of gaps being detected at flyovers in the Capital, the Delhi government's Public Works Department (PWD) has directed field-inspection of all its flyovers. This comes days after gaps were detected on the Lajpat Nagar and Akshardham flyovers.

The PWD has asked its engineers that gaps on any flyover should be attended to immediately, to ensure the safety of motorists. "In view of the cracks, the department has directed that all its flyovers should be inspected by field officers to check expansion joints and bearings. Besides, gaps on any flyover should be attended to immediately," an official said.

Last month, a 10-feet-long and 8-10 inches wide gap was detected between one of the five girders at Lajpat Nagar flyover, prompting the Delhi Traffic Police to advise two-wheelers to avoid the stretch till it was repaired. The repair-work lasted for around a month.

In the first phase, the carriageway from Ashram Chowk to Moolchand was closed, which resulted in massive traffic jams on the stretch between DND flyway and Moolchand. Moolchand-bound traffic was diverted to the adjoining road beneath the flyover during this period.

In the second phase, the carriageway from Moolchand to Ashram Chowk will be closed.

Earlier this month, Akshardham flyover had developed a crack. Gaps on flyovers occur due to contraction of girders during winters. Akshardham-Noida road is one of the busiest stretches in the city which connects Noida, Mayur Vihar phase-I and New Ashok Nagar with ITO and other East Delhi areas.

"Girders made of reinforced concrete normally contract in this season and expansion joints are used to fill the resultant gaps," the official said.

Traffic going towards Moolchand from Ashram was then diverted from under the flyover, leading to traffic snarls. A large number of commuters had to face a harrowing time after these flyovers were shut for the repair work.

According to the sources, the PWD will soon float tenders to get a detailed survey done on all its flyovers, especially those constructed in the 90s and early 2000. Traffic Police officers said the PWD has been asked to identify the flyovers requiring immediate repair so that traffic circulation plans could be chalked out accordingly.