Damp and dark with leaky walls and damaged surface, the RTR underpass near Dhaula Kuan is in a dilapidated condition less than three years since it was opened to decongest the Outer Ring Road, a spot check by HT found on Monday.
The Y-shaped 1.2km-long underpass, connecting Benito Juarez Marg with San Martin Marg and Ring Road, was opened for traffic in July 2022 after years of delay in construction and cost escalation. Commuters said that the underpass has suffered from drainage problems since its inception and the issue has been exacerbated in the past few months.
During the spot check, HT found that the key underpass suffers from multiple issues: The roof of the underpass right under the Ring Road section was leaking water, the surface was slippery even though Delhi has not seen any rain and the concrete road was riddled with potholes due to seepage. Further, lighting was only partially working, the drain covers were broken or missing, and garbage was strewn all across.
As one enters the ramp of the underpass near Springdales School, the drain on the left section of the underpass is seen to be full of accumulated waste. The section under the Ring Road has acute drainage problems with water constantly dripping from the road and walls of the tunnel. Cracks were also visible on some sections of the tunnel wall.
Rajendra Kushwaha, 38, a daily commuter heading towards Vasant Kunj, said that it becomes difficult for motorists, especially during the night, to navigate the underpass. “It always had a water seepage problem since it was opened. The section in the middle has muck mixed with water and it becomes so slippery. This is right where the road turns and I have seen so many people falling and slipping,” Kushwaha said.
The Public Works Department, which is responsible for the upkeep of the underpass, said: “We have taken up the matter with Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to rectify the leakage of their pipeline. We will ask them to expedite interventions. PWD will closely coordinate with DJB engineers.”
The underpass is the second part of the Rao Tula Ram project, which the Delhi government approved in 2013. The first part, Rao Tula Ram flyover, was inaugurated in July 2019 after several delays. The main tunnel under the Ring Road is around 526 metres long, and it is connected to three arms: the ramp on Benito Juarez Marg is 351 metres long, the San Martin Road ramp is 176 metres long, and the ramp along the Ring Road is 200 metres long.
Rakesh Yadav, 47, an autorickshaw driver, said that navigating this road is problematic. “There are potholes which have developed due to water. The junction of the Y-section, where vehicles have to take a right to head towards Ring Road, is the problematic point. After waiting for almost a decade, the project has been carried out in a faulty manner,” Yadav said. The underpass also suffers from unsanitary conditions, with muck, waste and cobwebs along its entire length,” he said.
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