Flintlock
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2007
- Messages
- 6,176
- Reaction score
- 0
Tired of long wait, crowd inaugurates Delhi flyover
TOI epaper
Tired of waiting for some VIP to do the ribbon-cutting, Delhiites took matters into their own hands and inaugurated the Rao Tularam Marg-Palam flyover on Monday. Inspired by a TOI report which quoted supercop Kiran Bedi questioning the delay in opening the flyover, people seized the initiative and declared the flyover “open”.
On Monday evening, a crowd of over a hundred gathered at the foot of the flyover near Vasant Vihar, chanted shlokas, broke a coconut and cut a ribbon, dedicating the flyover to the people.
Police and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), however, tried their best to prevent the opening. Entry to the flyover from the Vasant Vihar road was blocked by huge concrete barricades. But the people managed to topple one barricade, and N N Mishra, a protester from east Delhi, darted through an opening on a cycle. “The traffic cops should help remove the barricades since they are facing the tough task of
managing traffic on this stretch. We hope they will open it,” he said.
Reacting to the people’s action, Kiran Bedi said they had set an example for others. “They should not stop here. They must file a PIL, seeking an explanation from the government why a facility that has been created for the people should not be opened even after its completion. The government owes them an answer. It’s an indication that things are changing in the country,” she added.
Meanwhile, sources in NHAI said a letter has been sent to the surface transport ministry urging that the flyover be opened quickly. “We are doing a review of the safety aspect and the flyover will be opened soon,” said an NHAI member. But he added that only the ministry could give the date for its formal opening.
“Because some politician has to come and inaugurate it, we can’t be taken for a ride,” fumed People’s Action president Sanjay Kaul. “Since now a formal inauguration will have no significance, we expect good sense to prevail upon the authorities, who should open the flyover immediately.”
TOI epaper
Tired of waiting for some VIP to do the ribbon-cutting, Delhiites took matters into their own hands and inaugurated the Rao Tularam Marg-Palam flyover on Monday. Inspired by a TOI report which quoted supercop Kiran Bedi questioning the delay in opening the flyover, people seized the initiative and declared the flyover “open”.
On Monday evening, a crowd of over a hundred gathered at the foot of the flyover near Vasant Vihar, chanted shlokas, broke a coconut and cut a ribbon, dedicating the flyover to the people.
Police and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), however, tried their best to prevent the opening. Entry to the flyover from the Vasant Vihar road was blocked by huge concrete barricades. But the people managed to topple one barricade, and N N Mishra, a protester from east Delhi, darted through an opening on a cycle. “The traffic cops should help remove the barricades since they are facing the tough task of
managing traffic on this stretch. We hope they will open it,” he said.
Reacting to the people’s action, Kiran Bedi said they had set an example for others. “They should not stop here. They must file a PIL, seeking an explanation from the government why a facility that has been created for the people should not be opened even after its completion. The government owes them an answer. It’s an indication that things are changing in the country,” she added.
Meanwhile, sources in NHAI said a letter has been sent to the surface transport ministry urging that the flyover be opened quickly. “We are doing a review of the safety aspect and the flyover will be opened soon,” said an NHAI member. But he added that only the ministry could give the date for its formal opening.
“Because some politician has to come and inaugurate it, we can’t be taken for a ride,” fumed People’s Action president Sanjay Kaul. “Since now a formal inauguration will have no significance, we expect good sense to prevail upon the authorities, who should open the flyover immediately.”
