Gurgaon: Commuters travelling on Old Delhi-Gurgaon Road will need to plan their journeys in advance. A stretch near Sushil Aima Marg will remain closed to vehicular traffic for the next three days, from 8pm on Oct 23 to 5pm on Oct 27 to carry out a drainage work. According to GMDA, the closure will affect the stretch after the Major Sushila Marg turn towards Lt Atul Kataria Chowk. Commuters have been advised to use alternative routes and follow diversion arrangements and directions issued by traffic police during the closure.The project was awarded in March this year and was originally scheduled for completion in July. After the initial delay in starting the work, the project could not be taken up during the monsoon because the drain carries stormwater and construction could disrupt its flow. Earlier, GMDA imposed a penalty on the contractor for the construction delay.A GMDA official said, “We could not carry out the work during the monsoon as this is a master drain and we did not want to disrupt the flow of water. We are taking up the work now.” The Rs 3.2-crore project involves constructing a reinforced cement concrete (RCC) box-type precast culvert and a box-type drain on master storm water drain Leg-I. The work aims to address structural deficiencies in the existing culvert and improve stormwater flow along the corridor.The existing culvert has weakened over time, with bulging at some locations affecting its structural stability. Water pipelines and other utility lines passing through it have added to the challenges. The new culvert and drain will also help correct the alignment at a bend where water flow needs to be improved.The stretch forms part of the Leg-I drainage network, which carries rainwater from Sikanderpur, sectors 18 and 19, Old Delhi-Gurgaon Road, sectors 22 and 23A, Palam Vihar, Bajghera village and Sector 115 before discharging into Najafgarh drain. “Once improved, it is expected to help rainwater move more efficiently through the network and reduce waterlogging during heavy rainfall,” the official said.
