Commuting in Gurugram’s Udyog Vihar is likely to become difficult for the next six months, starting Monday, as the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) will start widening three major roads in the congested industrial area.
The three roads that are to be widened are Shankar Chowk Road, Shyam Chowk Road and Atlas Chowk Road.
These roads connect Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway and Old Delhi Road via Udyog Vihar, which has nearly 2,200 small, medium and big factories. The industrial area is spread across three sectors 18, 19 and 20.
The GMDA is also widening another 1.3km road from Rezangla Chowk at Palam Vihar to Bijwasan. This road is used by a large number of commuters to reach Dwarka, Bijawasan and Palam Colony in Delhi.
The construction is expected to inconvenience those who work in the area and those who use Shankar Chowk Road, Shyam Chowk Road and Atlas Chowk Road to reach Old Delhi Road from Delhi-gurgaon Expressway and vice-versa.
The GMDA has allotted the work to two contractors with a deadline of six months. Officials said the contractors have been directed to provide adequate space for cyclists and pedestrians, as is defined in the project plan.
The cost of the total project is Rs 42 crore.
“By June 2019, we will finish widening all the four roads. We have asked the contractors to meet the six-month deadline; work will begin Monday,” GMDA executive engineer Amit Rathee said, adding that either chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar or state public works department (PWD) minister Rao Narbir Singh are expected to break ground for the projects at a ceremony on Monday.
Meanwhile, Udyog Vihar industry owners expressed happiness as these projects would ease congestion. In a meeting with the GMDA in July last year, the Chamber of Industries Udyog Vihar had raised widening demand of all the three roads. According to the Chamber of Industries, about three lakh people work in Udyog Vihar industries and existing with of roads is insufficient to handle the traffic volume.
Industrialist Raj Singla said, “We are happy as the road leading from Shyam Chowk to Old Delhi via Udyog Vihar is currently one-way and it would become a two-way road after widening. Currently, it is barely 7 metres wide.”
“We have learnt that the GMDA has promised to provide adequate space for pedestrians and cyclists on all these three roads. This is good as cyclists currently find no space on any of these roads,” president of Chamber of Industries Ashok Kohli said.
The traffic movement on the Rezangla Chowk to Bijwasan Road is also expected become smoother after the widening.
Palam Vihar resident Sunil Yadav said, “Once widened, we will prefer Rezangla Chowk-bijwasan Road because this would shorten distance from Palam Vihar.”
First Published: Jan 18, 2019 14:40 IST
