Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday inaugurated the 2.85 km signal-free new RTR Flyover, and said a few more such projects will come up in the national capital before the end of his government's tenure.
The elevated corridor of Rao Tula Ram (RTR) Flyover, built at a cost of Rs 205 crore on the Outer Ring Road, will help decongest the area and prove a boon for people commuting towards the IGI airport from south Delhi and Noida.
"In 15 years, the Sheila Dikshit government built 70 flyovers. In the last four-and-a-half years, our (AAP) government has built 23 flyovers," Kejriwal said in his address after inaugurating the flyover.
He said, however, the intent is not to have a sense of competition, and effort is to make Delhi, one of the best cities in the world.
"We do our work, but we don't advertise much. Now, it is for the people to spread the word about the work we have done in the last four-and-a-half years," the chief minister said.
"The way the city government has done work in areas of hospitals, mohalla clinics, polyclinics, schools and colleges no other government has done so much of developmental works in the last 70 years as our government," he said.
Hitting out at his detractors, the AAP chief said after the inauguration of the Signature Bridge, a member of the opposition party had sought to take credit of that project.
"We believe in doing our work and not indulging in dirty politics. The Delhi government has worked a lot in education, health and other sectors, and our work will speak," he said.
The three-lane elevated corridor is the first-of-its-kind in Delhi, built fully on portals to allow movement of traffic below the corridor, the Public Works Department (PWD) said, adding that the existing RTR Flyover will now be used for one-way traffic coming from the airport and going towards IIT-Delhi.
Interacting with reporters after the event, he said the AAP government not only worked on mega infrastructure projects but also built roads, sewage lines and provided other facilities in unauthorised colonies to reach out to the ordinary people.
Asked if more projects were in the offing before the end of his government's tenure, Kejriwal said, "Yes, a few more such projects will come up soon."
The chief minister said the RTR Flyover was the 23rd flyover to be built by his government in the last four-and-a-half years.
Kejriwal later also greeted the people of Delhi and tweeted, "Congratulations Delhiites Overcoming all hurdles your govt finally succeeds in opening the RTR flyover from today. No more traffic jams on your way to the airport."
The newly-built flyover branches out of Munirka Flyover and ends before the Army Research and Referral Hospital near Subroto Park close to National Highway-8.
The construction of this elevated corridor started in November 2014. It was to be completed by November 2016, but missed several deadlines.
Delhi PWD Minister Satyendar Jain, R K Puram MLA Pramila Tokas and AAP MLA Somnath Bharti, PWD principal secretary Rajiv Yaduvanshi, and its engineer-in-chief P K Vats, were also present at the event which took place on a section of the flyover.
Due to construction of this elevated corridor, five minutes of travel time will be reduced for both to and fro traffic from IIT-Delhi side to the airport, officials said.
"Smooth and uninterrupted movement of traffic on this corridor will save 13,200 litres of diesel per day which will lead to reduction of at least 25.8 tonne day in carbon dioxide emission. Around 7.7 lakh man-days per year will also be saved from operationalisation of this flyover," the PWD said in a statement.
"A total amount of Rs 75.74 cr per year will be saved, and therefore break-even will be achieved within 32 months," the PWD said.
LED street lights will save 35 per cent of electricity, a senior PWD officials said, adding, rain water harvesting system with latest technique for storm water has been made a part of the project.
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