The Delhi High Court has issued a three-month deadline for the commencement of repairs on the decade-old flyover near Nathu Colony Chowk. This decision came during the closure of proceedings on a plea filed by BJP MLA Jitendra Mahajan, who had been advocating for urgent remedial measures to address structural issues.
The bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, acknowledged the commitment of the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) to address the flyover’s deficiencies. Lawyers representing these bodies assured the court that preliminary steps towards initiating repair work would begin within the stipulated three-month period.
During the proceedings, it was revealed that an independent agency had already been engaged to conduct a thorough inspection of the flyover. A recent meeting chaired by Chief Minister Atishi also underscored the government’s resolve to expedite the inspection and subsequent repair processes. The authorities anticipate completing the inspection shortly, with repair activities projected to commence immediately thereafter.
Senior counsel for the petitioner highlighted the long-standing nature of the concerns, noting that the issue of the flyover’s disrepair had been a point of contention for eight years, even being raised in the assembly. The urgency of the situation was compounded by the high court’s previous criticism in November, when it chastised city officials for neglecting the flyover’s “defective” condition and suggested that the matter warranted investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation due to potential corruption.
The flyover, which had been closed to heavy vehicles for two years due to visible defects noted since 2015, represents a significant safety risk, according to the plea. The petitioner had argued that both the DTTDC and the construction firm had been made aware of these issues early on, yet no substantive action had been taken to rectify them.
