Gurugram commuters face gridlock as Delhi's old Rao Tula Ram flyover stays shut

Old Rao Tula Ram (RTR) flyover in Delhi has stayed closed since Wednesday, pushing Gurugram‑Delhi commuters onto NH‑48 and sparking an 18‑km backup from Udyog Vihar to Dhaula Kuan. The closure was triggered by craters that appeared on the flyover, forcing immediate repairs. Gurugram traffic police issued an evening advisory on Wednesday, urging drivers to use NH‑48 but divert via the KMP Expressway to reach Dhaula Kuan, or to take the Narsinghpur Cloverleaf and continue on Dwarka Expressway and UER‑II. Additional suggested paths included the Southern Peripheral Road via Ghata T‑Point, the route through IFFCO Chowk and MG Road via Aya Nagar Border or Bandhwari Toll, and a lane from Rajiv Chowk through Sohna toward Ballabhgarh. Despite the multiple options, Thursday morning saw the alternate routes snarling into new bottlenecks, with jams reported between Rajiv Chowk and 32nd Avenue, on NH‑48 toward Jaipur near Leisure Valley Park, and between IFFCO Chowk and Udyog Vihar Phase 4. Slow movement was also noted on MG Road toward IFFCO Chowk metro station and near Sikanderpur. A three‑kilometre stretch on the Faridabad‑Gurugram road between Ghata T‑Point and Valley View Estate was gridlocked, police inspector Tanej Pal said partly because of the rerouting and a broken vehicle. Heavy‑vehicle entry into Gurugram was barred from 8 am to 10 am on NH‑48 and Dwarka Expressway, adding pressure during peak commute. By noon, highway inspector Mahabir Singh reported clear flow between Sirhaul Border and IFFCO Chowk, but warned his 70‑person team was ready for heavier Friday traffic.

Context

The RTR flyover is a key link for traffic between Delhi and the National Capital Region, so its closure quickly shifts load onto already busy highways, a pattern seen whenever major city infrastructure is taken offline.