The Delhi government has set an eight-month deadline to complete the long-delayed Barapullah Phase-III elevated corridor project after receiving the final tree-related clearance from the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee. According to officials, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Verma fixed the completion timeline during a recent high-level review meeting.

The 3.5-kilometre elevated corridor, launched in April 2015, will connect Mayur Vihar-I in east Delhi with AIIMS in south Delhi, integrating with the existing Barapullah flyover near Sarai Kale Khan. Once operational, it is expected to ease east–west movement and reduce congestion on major arterial routes including NH-24, DND Flyway, and the Ring Road.

The Rs 12 billion project, originally slated for completion in October 2017, has faced repeated delays due to land acquisition disputes, clearance bottlenecks, floods, and coordination issues among multiple departments. Officials confirmed that construction work has now resumed, with fabrication sites allotted and tenders issued for tree removal.

In line with forest committee directives, the PWD and forest department have completed a comprehensive tree re-survey. Of the 155 trees in the central forest division, 10 will be felled, 34 transplanted, and 111 retained with pruning. In the south division, 75 trees will be cut, 53 relocated, and 50 preserved. All felling and transplantation activities will be undertaken under forest department supervision.

The corridor design incorporates environmental safeguards, featuring a pier-supported elevated structure and an extradosed bridge that reduces the number of piers within the Yamuna’s active flow zone, thereby minimising ecological disruption.

When completed, the corridor will have three lanes in each direction, dedicated cycle tracks, and eight connecting loops—four each at Sarai Kale Khan and Mayur Vihar. The project is expected to significantly improve traffic flow between east and south Delhi while enhancing connectivity to AIIMS, ITO, and the DND corridor.

Officials said Minister Parvesh Verma has been closely monitoring progress and directed departments to meet the new deadline without further delay, ensuring the long-pending corridor becomes operational by mid-2026.