The Rao Tula Ram (RTR) flyover was opened by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today, with Delhi residents hoping the elevated, three-lane, 2.7-km stretch of road can ease the pain and frustration of navigating rush hour traffic in South Delhi. The newly constructed flyover branches out of the Munirka flyover and ends before the Army Research and Referral Hospital near Subroto Park close to National Highway-8.
The Delhi Chief Minister took to Twitter after opening the flyover and celebrated an end to traffic jams in the area, writing, "Congratulations Delhiites. Overcoming all hurdles our govt finally succeeds in opening the RTR flyover from today."
"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," he said while inaugurating the flyover.
Congratulations Delhiites
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 16, 2019
Overcoming all hurdles your govt finally succeeds in opening the RTR flyover from today. No more traffic jams on your way to the airport.
"We do our work, but we don''t advertise much. Now, it is for the people to spread word about the work we have done in the last four-and-a-half years," he added.
Built at a cost of nearly Rs 310 crore, the RTR flyover is expected to ease traffic flowing to the Indira Gandhi International Airport and Gurugram, and provide relief to hassled commuters from neighbourhoods like Munirka, Hauz Khas and Greater Kailash, who have become resigned to bottlenecks and jams on Outer Ring Road in South Delhi.
It also wound up in the Delhi High Court after residents of Vasant Vihar, a nearby residential neighbourhood, challenged the PWD's decision to expand on the existing flyover.
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari took the opportunity to claim brownie points today morning, comparing the time taken to build the RTR flyover with the 15 months taken to build the 8.7-km Nizammuddin Bridge on the Delhi-UP border.
The Delhi North-East parliamentarian tweeted: "RTR Flyover just 2.7Kms stretch made in 5years by Delhi Govt is set to open today. This has been a nightmare each day for commuters. 8.7 Kms stretch of NH24 Nizamuddin bridge-DelhiUP border completed and inaugurated by @narendramodi Ji in 15 months #DelhiWantsBJP #goodgovernance."
RTR Flyover just 2.7Kms stretch made in 5years by Delhi Govt is set to open today. This has been a nightmare each day for commuters
— Manoj Tiwari (@ManojTiwariMP) July 16, 2019
8.7 Kms stretch of NH24 Nizamuddin bridge-DelhiUP border completed and inaugurated by @narendramodi Ji in 15months#DelhiWantsBJP #goodgovernance pic.twitter.com/x6eUECs7p3
The BJP and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are at loggerheads, with the AAP accusing the BJP of everything from throttling the capital's development to sponsoring physical assaults on Mr Kejriwal.
The animosity between the two parties peaked during Lok Sabha elections in April-May, with the BJP crushing the AAP to win all seven parliamentary seats in Delhi - a humiliating result considering Mr Kejriwal rules the city state with one of the biggest majorities anywhere in the country.
Earlier Mr Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also posted on social media and said they intended to make Delhi a "World Class City".
With inputs from PTI
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