GURUGRAM: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Monday threw open one carriageway of the flyover — from Delhi to Jaipur — at Hero Honda Chowk on NH-8 . Work on the Jaipur-to-Delhi carriageway is on fast track, and likely to be opened to traffic by June 30. The move is expected to de-congest the crucial intersection and benefit residents of areas around it and new sectors.For the next few months, till work on the other carriageway is completed, the Delhi-Jaipur side, though, will be used to divert Jaipur to Delhi traffic, said NHAI project director Ashok Sharma, adding, "Commuters from Delhi to Jaipur will keep using the four-lane ground-level service road."He said the approach to the four-lane Delhi-Jaipur carriageway on NH-8 has extra space, which is not available for diversion on the Jaipur-Delhi side. "That's why we'll barricade the service road on the Jaipur-Delhi side, only allowing Sector 10A-bound vehicles to use it, while other commuters will use the flyover," said Sharma, adding that from now on, around 40-50,000 vehicles are expected to use it every day."Work on the Jaipur-Delhi side is on fast track. We've finished 70% of the work. The remainder will be completed in three months," said NHAI supervision consultant R S Yadav.The development has brought smiles on the faces of residents of nearby sectors. "The opening of even one side of the flyover will be a huge relief. Not only should it solve the problem of traffic snarls, but also benefit residents who commute to and from new sectors. We're glad new Gurgaon shall soon be accessible from other areas," said Arvinder Sahni, a resident of DLF Garden City in Sector 91.Raman Sharma of Mapsko Casa Bella in Sector 82 is ecstatic. "I'll be able to commute to office on Sohna road in no time," he said. Expressing similar sentiment, Sujeet Sinha, resident of DLF Garden City, said, "We've been eagerly awaiting the completion of the flyover. This area faces massive traffic jams especially during office hours.""Opening of the flyover will be a breather for residents, as well as developers with projects in new Gurgaon. Not only will it reduce congestion, but also boost connectivity and reduce travel time. Traffic snarls and water-logging should also be resolved," said Ravish Kapoor, director, Elan Group.Harinder Dhillon, vice-president (sales) of DLF, said, "Hero Honda Chowk is perennially witness to traffic congestion. With the Delhi-Jaipur side of the flyover becoming operational, commute for thousands of new Gurgaon residents will become easier. Along with the underpass, it should boost connectivity."The 1.4km-long-flyover is being constructed as part of a three-layer crossing at Hero Honda Chowk — an eight-lane flyover on the expressway, a four-lane underpass on Old Gurgaon Road and existing roads. There will also be slip lanes for U-turns and right turns. Construction work picked up pace after water-logging led to 'Gurujam' at the intersection in July last year. Local authorities had faced criticism at the time, following which, they asked NHAI to complete at least one side of the flyover at the earliest.Construction of the Rs 197.84 crore project began in November 2014, and was expected to be completed by May 2017. It has been delayed by lack of clearance of land required for the project due to litigation and lack of coordination between departments.

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