GMDA to get defects fixed at 3 Gurugram underpasses before taking over

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has identified deficiencies in the three underpass at Iffco Chowk, Rajiv Chowk and Signature Tower Crossing on Delhi-Gurgaon expressway and will now ask the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to resolve these issues before it takes over these structures for maintenance. A letter in this regard is being sent to NHAI, officials aware of the matter said on Sunday.

As per GMDA officials, they have been asked by the highway authority to take over maintenance of these underpasses for the last one year and they have received regular communication from NHAI. “NHAI wants GMDA to take over maintenance of these underpasses and this matter was discussed at the highest level in the government. We were directed to survey the structures and identify deficiencies so that these are rectified by NHAI. The takeover of these structures also requires a policy decision, “ said Arun Dhankhar, chief engineer, GMDA.

GMDA officials said that during the survey, they found seepage of rain water through the walls of Iffco Chowk underpass. They also observed cracks in the walls of the three underpasses, which need to be rectified or else these could pose structural issues. It also found cracks in pavements, damaged footpaths, and also work needs to be done to repair the escalators to make them functional.

Dhankhar said that since the structures have been constructed by NHAI, it has been proposed to get the deficiencies removed by their contractor before they are transferred to GMDA for further upkeep.

When asked about the issue, a senior NHAI official said that they have not received any communication about this issue from GMDA. “We have not received any letter on this subject yet. We will look into the matter once it reaches us,” he added.

The construction of underpasses at Rajiv Chowk, Signature Tower Crossing and Iffco Chowk was carried out at a cost of ₹1,005 crore by NHAI, and this project started in 2017 and was completed in 2019. The highway authority had built four flyovers and three underpasses to provide conflict-free and signal-free movement of traffic. It included six foot overbridges along with staircases and escalators for pedestrians.