Delhi's Barapullah Phase-III flyover remained congested on Thursday, a day after the long-delayed corridor was opened to commuters, with traffic police temporarily placing barricades at its entrance to regulate the flow of vehicles. Traffic movement from Mayur Vihar Phase-I towards Sarai Kale Khan was particularly affected, leading to delays for commuters using the newly opened route. The congestion came despite the corridor being inaugurated with the objective of easing movement between east and central Delhi and providing a faster alternative to existing roads. Traffic authorities subsequently removed the barricades as vehicle movement stabilised, allowing commuters to use the corridor normally.

A senior traffic police officer said there had been congestion for some time and commuters were advised to consider alternative routes through the DND Flyway or the Akshardham corridor. According to the officer, traffic conditions improved after the barricades were removed, and vehicles were subsequently moving without significant difficulty. The temporary traffic regulation highlighted the challenges that can accompany the opening of a major urban corridor, particularly when large numbers of motorists begin using a new route at the same time. Traffic police continued to monitor the movement of vehicles around the newly opened stretch to manage bottlenecks and prevent further disruption.

The corridor also saw an expansion in operations on Thursday, with the carriageway carrying traffic from AIIMS towards Mayur Vihar opened during the afternoon. Public Works Department officials said the opening would facilitate traffic movement on the newly operational corridor. The additional carriageway is expected to provide greater connectivity between the two sides of the route and allow traffic to use the flyover in both directions. The project forms part of Delhi's broader effort to improve road connectivity and reduce travel time along one of the city's important east-west traffic corridors, particularly for commuters travelling between Mayur Vihar, Sarai Kale Khan and areas around the Ring Road.

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The Barapullah Phase-III project has a long construction history marked by repeated delays and rising costs. The ₹1,635-crore project was approved in 2014, while construction began in 2015. It was initially scheduled to be completed by 2017, but various delays pushed back the completion timeline considerably. The prolonged construction period also contributed to an increase in the project's cost. The Phase-III corridor was planned as an extension of the existing Barapullah elevated road network, with the objective of creating a more continuous signal-free route and improving connectivity between eastern Delhi and major transport corridors in the central and southern parts of the city.

The newly opened section connects Mayur Vihar Phase-I on the Noida Link Road with Sarai Kale Khan on the Ring Road. It links with the existing Barapullah network, extending the signal-free corridor and creating a continuous stretch of around 9 km up to the AIIMS roundabout. The connection is expected to benefit commuters travelling between eastern Delhi and central and southern parts of the capital by providing an elevated alternative to several busy surface roads. The corridor's eventual traffic benefits will depend partly on how effectively vehicles are distributed across the new route and the surrounding road network once regular traffic patterns are established.

The congestion witnessed a day after the opening therefore comes as traffic authorities and commuters adjust to the new corridor. While temporary barricading was used to manage traffic at the entrance and alternative routes were suggested during the initial congestion, officials later said movement had returned to normal after the barricades were removed. With both carriageways becoming operational and the corridor connecting Mayur Vihar Phase-I with Sarai Kale Khan, the focus will now shift towards how effectively the infrastructure handles regular traffic volumes. The Barapullah Phase-III project, conceived more than a decade ago, is now expected to play a larger role in Delhi's road network and provide a continuous signal-free connection extending towards AIIMS.

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