After missing 8 deadlines, Delhi's Ashram Underpass now opened for regular traffic

New Delhi, Apr 24: The much-anticipated 750-metre-long underpass at the Ashram crossing in south Delhi has been inaugurated after missing almost eight deadlines and being delayed for more than a year, authorities announced on Wednesday.

The Public Works Department (PWD) has completed the building of the underpass, with the exception of a few finishing touches, they claimed.

"The Ashram underpass will be inaugurated by the government on April 24. It is still unclear whether Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal or Deputy CM Manish Sisodia will inaugurate it but the facility will be completely thrown open for the public," a government official informed PTI.

The Ashram underpass would benefit commuters passing through the busy Ashram crossing and ease their ride towards Sarita Vihar, Badarpur and Faridabad from ITO and vice versa.

According to data provided by the traffic police, around 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh vehicles cross the Ashram intersection every day during peak traffic hours.

Last month Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the PWD portfolio, had said the facility will be opened for the public on March 22 but it could not be done because of non-completion of work. However, the PWD had started the trial run of the facility on March 22.

PWD officials said the deadline was first extended to March 2021, further pushed to June 30, 2021, and then to September 2021. It was again extended to December 2021 and then to March 2022.