The Delhi Traffic Police has temporarily closed the carriageway of the Old Rao Tula Ram (RTR) Flyover running from the Indira Gandhi International Airport towards Vasant Vihar after cracks were found at two locations on the road surface. The closure has diverted vehicles to a service road and caused significant congestion on routes connecting the airport, Vasant Vihar, Vasant Kunj and Gurugram.
The cracks were observed on Wednesday, after which the Traffic Police informed the Public Works Department (PWD). Repair work began at the affected locations in coordination with the traffic authorities. The police said the closure was taken as a precaution while the condition of the flyover is addressed.
The affected carriageway normally handles traffic moving from the airport towards Vasant Vihar. With that route closed, vehicles are being directed through the service road towards Vasant Kunj. The narrower alternative has reduced traffic movement and created a bottleneck behind the flyover. Travellers coming from the airport reported delays of between one and one-and-a-half hours while trying to clear the affected area.
The RTR Flyover is a heavily used route and traffic congestion is common even when it is fully operational, according to the Traffic Police account. The partial closure has increased pressure on the remaining road space, with long queues forming as vehicles approach the flyover. Motorists travelling towards other parts of southwest Delhi have also been caught in the spillover congestion.
The disruption has extended beyond the immediate flyover area. Vehicles heading towards Vasant Vihar were diverted towards Dhaula Kuan, increasing traffic pressure on the Delhi-Gurugram corridor. A traffic jam of about three kilometres was reported on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway near the Delhi-Gurugram border. Long queues began forming at the Sarhaul border at around 7.30 pm, with the congestion extending beyond Shankar Chowk.
A senior Traffic Police officer said the department had requested an update on Google Maps to show that the affected carriageway was closed. The police also asked that the alternative route through the service road towards Vasant Kunj be displayed for motorists. Additional traffic personnel have been deployed near the affected stretch to manage diversions and regulate vehicle movement.
PWD officials have started repair work at both locations in coordination with the Traffic Police. The authorities said the work is expected to continue until October 26. Once the repairs are completed, the flyover will be assessed against safety standards before a decision is taken on reopening the carriageway. Until then, commuters have been advised to use alternative routes.
