The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has shut the entry from Daulatabad Chowk to Delhi on the Dwarka Expressway for 44 days, triggering concerns among daily commuters and residents of nearby areas. The closure, which began on March 18 and will continue till April 30, is part of expansion joint replacement work on the elevated carriageway near Daulatabad Chowk. According to NHAI officials, barriers have been installed at the entry point to the flyover, and traffic from this section will be diverted to surface roads for the duration of the work.
Traffic diversions and impact
The move is expected to significantly affect commuters from Gurugram Sectors 99 to 106, as well as surrounding areas like Basai, Dhankot, and Kherki Majra, who use this route daily to travel to Delhi, Dwarka, or the airport. Motorists will now have to take a longer route via the surface road, merging back onto the expressway after the Bijwasan toll plaza, leading to increased travel time and congestion on alternate routes, including the already busy NH-48.
“This road was built to ease congestion on NH-48, but now we’re forced to go back to the same jam-packed highway,” said a daily commuter from Dhankot. Others expressed concern over the lack of alternative arrangements and traffic management during this extended closure. “We’re losing at least two extra hours a day. It’s a nightmare for officegoers and airport-bound travellers. Authorities must consider better temporary solutions,” said another commuter.
Residents demand better planning
Residents have urged the NHAI to ensure effective traffic management, improved signage, and timely updates on alternate routes to minimise inconvenience. While the NHAI shared updates about the closure on X (formerly Twitter), residents said on-ground implementation and planning must be better, given the scale of disruption the repair work is causing.
The Dwarka Expressway, also known as the Northern Peripheral Road (NPR), was designed to decongest NH-48 and provide seamless connectivity between Gurugram and Delhi. However, frequent closures and maintenance issues have often disrupted this objective.
(With PTI inputs)