Delhi Gets A Breather: Rani Jhansi Flyover Inaugurated, To Ease Commute For Five Lakh Travellers Daily

Rani Jhansi Grade separator, an ambitious flyover project in north Delhi was thrown open to the public by Union Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, yesterday (16 October). The six-lane, 1.8-km grade separator will provide connectivity to St Stephen’s Hospital near the Tiz Hazari Courts complex with Filmstan Cinema, along with intersections for Baraf Khana, DCM Chowk, Azad Market and Subzi Mandi areas of Delhi.

The project, which had been languishing for almost a decade, was fast-tracked last year with express funding from the Union government and nearly 43 per cent of the work was completed in the last year.

The Minister spoke of how this project will bring relief to almost 5 lakh commuters daily and also go a long way in tackling the pollution epidemic in Delhi. Reduction in pollution is directly linked to higher savings in health costs for the government and longer life expectancy for the citizens.

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri, who was also present at the inauguration, noted that 80 per cent of the fund came from the Union government's Urban Development Fund (UDF) and 20 per cent of the fund was borne by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). This was to ensure that the lack of funds did not derail the project.