New Delhi: Traffic has been restricted on two structurally weak and congested Railway Over Bridges (ROB) by the PWD Public Works Department due to highly crowded areas in old Delhi. Heavy vehicles will not be allowed on the two bridges near the old Delhi Railway Station.
According to officials, similar limitations are scheduled to be imposed on another bridge in the same area soon. All three bridges – Pul Mithai, Pul Bangash, and Paul Dufferin – are over a century old. They will be introducing alternatives in the coming days.
A senior official told the media, “We decided to restrict heavy vehicles on the bridges considering their situation. They have become weak and dangerous for heavy vehicles. We have asked School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) to draw up a traffic diversion plan.”
The traffic survey of the area will begin next week as part of the plan. The ROBs will be dismantled one by one before being rebuilt.
An earlier structural analysis of these ROB, which is considered significant bridges in the area, revealed that they are structurally deficient and unsafe. These three ROBs will be removed, and new bridges will be built soon.
These bridges connect densely populated regions in the neighbourhood, such as Kashmere Gate, Azad Market, and Sadar Bazar, among others.