Delhi’s old RTR flyover to reopen for bikes, cars after load testing; buses, trucks barred for at least another week

The Old Rao Tula Ram (RTR) flyover ramp towards Vasant Vihar in South Delhi will reopen for light vehicles, including cars and two-wheelers, on Monday (October 26, 2026) evening, while heavy vehicles including buses and trucks will remain barred for at least another week to allow the repaired concrete to cure and gain strength, officials said.

The development follows an inspection carried out by Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Verma and Minister of Industries, Environment, Food and Supplies, Forest and Wildlife Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Monday (October 26, 2026) morning.

In a statement after his inspection, Mr. Verma said the site had shown deteriorating concrete in the gap slab section, cracks and exposed reinforcement bars, prompting the temporary closure on safety grounds. “The necessary repair work has been completed, and the flyover will be reopened for light vehicles starting this evening. A comprehensive structural audit is also underway to ensure the strength and long-term safety of this flyover, which was constructed in 2009,” he said.

The restrictions will apply to airport buses, Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses, company employee buses, trucks, loaded tempos, and other heavy vehicles. These vehicles will be diverted to the service road, which will continue to be used for the next seven days, New Delhi Traffic Deputy Commissioner of Police Vikas Kumar said.

The repair work on the damaged section was completed on Friday (October 23, 2026), following which the PWD began inspecting the repaired patch through load testing on Sunday (October 25, 2026) night. Trucks were placed over the patch as part of the assessment, revealing the weak flyover, Mr. Kumar said.

“The work was completed on Friday. The inspection of the patch started on Sunday night through load testing, with trucks placed over it. After the inspection and discussions, it was decided that the flyover would be opened for light vehicles by Monday evening while continuing to restrict heavy vehicles until the concrete has sufficiently cured,” Mr. Kumar said.

Signboards informing commuters that only light vehicles are permitted on the flyover are being installed along with height barriers to prevent buses, trucks and loaded tempos from entering the ramp.

Explaining the need for the continued restrictions, Mr. Kumar said curing was essential for the repaired concrete to attain its full strength and durability. The process involves allowing the concrete to set and sprinkling water at regular intervals to facilitate the chemical hydration required to strengthen it.

Jute rugs have been placed over the repaired patch to retain moisture, and water is being sprinkled on them at intervals.

The ramp was closed for urgent repairs after cracks, concrete deterioration and exposed reinforcement were detected in the structure. The closure disrupted traffic on a key route connecting Gurugram and the Indira Gandhi International Airport with south Delhi, forcing motorists to use the service road.

The Old and New RTR flyovers together handle more than two lakh vehicles daily.

The closure has pushed vehicles onto alternative routes, leading to long queues on service roads, National Highway-48 and the New RTR flyover, along with increasing traffic load at several junctions, with Mahipalpur among the worst-affected areas.