The Shahibaug underpass will once again be closed to traffic during night hours for six days starting Friday due to ongoing bullet train construction work. This marks the third closure of the underpass within a month, adding to the inconvenience faced by daily commuters.
According to officials, the underpass will remain shut from 11 pm to 6 am between January 30 and February 4. The closure is required for installing bullet train segments on pillars, carrying out leveling work, and completing other technical tasks.
The underpass was earlier closed from January 23 to January 28 for the same work and was reopened just two days ago, ahead of schedule. However, the announcement of another closure shortly thereafter has left motorists confused and frustrated.
Traffic congestion is expected to worsen as Subhash Bridge is already closed, increasing vehicle load on Delhi Darwaza, Dadhichi Bridge, and Gandhi Bridge during night hours.
To ease traffic movement, vehicles heading towards Delhi Darwaza and Subhash Bridge will be diverted via the Riverfront route. The same route can be used by vehicles travelling towards the Airport and Gandhinagar. An additional diversion has been arranged from Gayatri Mandir to Army Cantonment for vehicles moving from Girdharnagar–Asarwa towards Gandhinagar and the Airport.
Frequent changes in the closure schedule of the Shahibaug underpass have caused confusion and inconvenience for motorists.