Old RTR flyover to reopen in Delhi: Only cars, two-wheelers allowed initially; trucks face restrictions

The Old Rao Tula Ram (RTR) flyover, which was scheduled to reopen on Monday morning after repair work, is now likely to reopen by Monday evening, providing relief to commuters travelling between the Indira Gandhi International Airport and South Delhi.

However, officials said that for the next few days, only two-wheelers and light four-wheelers would be permitted to use the repaired flyover. The reopening is significant as the closure of the carriageway towards Vasant Vihar over the past few days had forced motorists to take the adjoining service road, leading to congestion on surrounding roads.

The approximately 900-920-metre-long flyover is a key link for motorists travelling from the airport towards Vasant Vihar and other parts of South Delhi. It also serves commuters coming from Gurugram, many of whom continue towards South Delhi, Noida and other parts of the National Capital Region (NCR).

Despite its relatively short length, the flyover carries nearly two lakh vehicles daily, according to traffic police officials. It was opened in 2009. Who can use the flyover? Officials said the decision to reopen the flyover followed an assessment of the repaired stretch on Sunday.

“We checked whether the repaired patches had gained sufficient strength. Based on the assessment, we decided to initially restrict movement to light vehicles. We will now assess the flyover’s performance under traffic load before allowing the full flow of vehicles,” a senior traffic official said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi Traffic) Vikas Kumar said additional personnel would be deployed to manage traffic and enforce the restrictions. To prevent heavy vehicles from entering the flyover, the Public Works Department (PWD) will install a height barrier at its entrance, traffic officials said.

“Additional traffic personnel will also be deployed to divert heavy vehicles before they reach the flyover. Personnel will also be stationed at night to ensure that such vehicles do not pass through,” an official said. Meanwhile, PWD Minister Parvesh Verma visited the flyover on Monday morning to inspect its condition and review the repair work.

How traffic personnel spotted the damaged patches The damage was first noticed by Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Virender, a traffic police zonal officer, during a patrol between 7 am and 8 am on October 20, officials said.

“Virender noticed damaged patches on the flyover and informed his senior officers, who subsequently alerted the PWD. The carriageway was promptly closed to traffic as a precautionary measure, allowing repair work to begin,” an official said.

Officials said cracks and deterioration had been detected at two locations on the flyover, exposing the underlying surface. A few other minor damaged patches were also identified. “The closure was necessary to carry out repairs and safety checks and prevent potential accidents,” the official said.

The PWD and traffic police coordinated the closure and repair work, diverting vehicles heading towards Vasant Vihar onto the adjoining service road. No accident or other untoward incident was reported in connection with the damage, officials added.