GMRL to build Bakhtawar Chowk underpass for easing snarls

In a step towards easing traffic congestion in Gurugram, the Gurugram Metropolitan Rail Limited (GMRL) will now take over construction of the long-awaited underpass at Bakhtawar Chowk — a key junction that connects the city’s busiest residential and commercial sectors. The project, originally proposed and planned by the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), will be executed by GMRL to ensure better coordination with the upcoming metro station at the same site.

While GMDA will continue to bear the full project cost, officials confirmed that the construction responsibility has been handed over to GMRL to expedite execution and avoid procedural delays such as floating new tenders. “We have already submitted the design for the metro station, and GMDA will soon share its underpass design. This coordinated effort will not only save time but also ensure minimal disruption for traffic during and after construction,” a senior GMRL official said.

The underpass, expected to cost ₹80.4 crore, was proposed after years of traffic bottlenecks at Bakhtawar Chowk, which connects Sector 47, Sector 49, Sector 66, and major roads like Golf Course Extension, Sohna Road, and the Southern Peripheral Road. The intersection also serves as a crucial link to Medanta-The Medicity, HUDA City Centre, Cyber Park, and other key commercial hubs in Sectors 32 and 44, officials said.

Originally proposed as a flyover in 2021, the project was revised to an underpass in January 2023 to accommodate the new metro alignment between Millennium City Centre and Cyber City. Work was stalled due to uncertainty over metro alignment, but now that it has been finalised, the integrated development plan includes a shared pillar structure for both the underpass and metro station at Sector 47, a senior GMRL official said on condition of anonymity. 

GMRL aims to begin underpass construction by May, parallel to the metro project, officials said. Once completed, the underpass is expected to offer signal-free movement for thousands of commuters and reduce traffic congestion significantly, they added.