Dwarka Expressway closed for 44 days for repairs

Commuters using the Dwarka Expressway will face disruptions due to repairs. The entry from the elevated service road at Daulatabad Chowk towards Delhi will be closed for 44 days. This closure, managed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), is necessary for replacing expansion joints. It will last until April 30. This closure will affect travelers from Sector 99 to 106 and nearby areas, including Dhankot, Basai, and Kherki Majra. They will need to use the surface road and then merge onto the expressway after the Bijwasan toll plaza. The surface road is already in poor condition and will bear extra traffic during this period. The 19-km Haryana section of the expressway has two parts. One is 10.2 km from the Delhi-Haryana border to the Basai rail overbridge. The other is 8.7 km that goes to Kherki Daula. NHAI officials stated that damage from an accident in January required urgent repairs. Further assessment showed that full replacement of the expansion joints was necessary to ensure the road's durability. While NHAI claims that other traffic movements will stay unaffected, daily commuters expect congestion, especially during peak hours. The expressway usually sees about 100,000 passenger car units each day. With many drivers redirected to the already busy surface road, traffic jams are likely to worsen. Since its opening, the expressway, which cost Rs 9,000 crore to build, has had several maintenance problems. In July 2024, just four months after opening, a section near Sector 102 developed cracks, raising quality concerns among commuters and local residents.