The CEC has approved tree management for Barapullah Phase-3, enabling its completion after delays, improving connectivity and reducing traffic congestion.
The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has granted necessary clearances for felling, transplanting and pruning trees falling on the alignment of the long-stalled Barapullah Phase-3, paving the way to finish the project nearly a decade since construction was started. The clearances were granted after the Public Works Department (PWD) and the forest department carried out a joint survey of affected trees, recording their geo-location, girth and genus.
According to the final count, around 155 trees in the central forest division will be affected -- 10 will be felled or are already dry, 34 will be transplanted and 111 will be retained, of which 107 might be lightly pruned. In the south forest division, 178 trees will be affected -- 75 will be felled or are dry, 53 will be transplanted and 50 will remain, with light pruning on 13, officials said.
"I thank the CEC and the forest department for their on-ground guidance during the joint re-survey and site visit. We have re-engineered pier placements, expanded spans, and used pruning and transplantation to protect as many trees as possible. With this green signal, we will swiftly complete the remaining work and open Barapullah Phase-3 to the public, decongesting the NH-24-DND-Ring Road corridor while safeguarding the Yamuna floodplain. Within the next year, this corridor will be ready for people to travel with ease and pride," PWD minister Parvesh Verma said.
The project, aimed at connecting Sarai Kale Khan with Mayur Vihar Phase-1, was conceived as an extension of the previous phases that link INA and Sarai Kale Khan. The 3.5-km corridor was approved in 2014 and construction commenced in April 2015. However, the project ran into hurdles over environmental issues, leading to significant delay. While the initial cost was pegged at ₹964 crore, officials said the estimate has now risen to around ₹1,330 crore, mostly because of the delays.
PWD officials said the corridor has been designed with an elevated pier-supported structure and an extra-dosed bridge to reduce the number of piers within the active flow zone of the Yamuna. "It will have three lanes in each direction, and feature eight loops -- four each at Sarai Kale Khan and Mayur Vihar. It will have dedicated cycle tracks and footpaths. Once operational, the corridor is expected to ease heavy traffic on NH-24, the DND Flyway and Ring Road," a PWD official said.
The project will also integrate with a major transport hub in the area, which includes the NCRTC's Rapid Rail, the Indian Railways' Hazrat Nizamuddin station, Sarai Kale Khan ISBT, Delhi Metro and the upcoming Delhi-Mumbai Expressway link. "It is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by around two tonnes per day, the equivalent of absorption by nearly 30,000 trees," the official said.
PWD officials said the department will now mobilise teams to mark, prune and transplant trees under the forest department's supervision, while expediting work on the remaining carriageways, loops and non-motorised infrastructure.
Officials said that over 90% of the work has already been completed. The stretch has been barricaded at present and black-topping cannot be done until the entire flyover is connected, they said.
The Barapullah Phase-3 project will improve connectivity between east, south and New Delhi, and decongest the Nizamuddin Bridge, Bhairon Marg and Ashram Chowk on Ring Road. The flyover will connect Mayur Vihar with Sarai Kale Khan through a signal-free stretch.
It is likely to cut the travel time between east and south Delhi to about 20 minutes.