IFFCO Chowk sewer repair starts; diversion to last at least five days

GMDA has begun repairs on the 1,000mm master sewer beneath the IFFCO Chowk service road, where it said a cave-in widened from about 10 feet to more than 30 feet on Tuesday.

After diverting sewage to an alternate manhole and draining the affected site, GMDA said its engineers started machine-wound spiral lining on an initial 100-metre stretch of the pipeline. The trenchless method builds a new PVC pipe inside the damaged line, avoiding major excavation of the road. GMDA estimates the initial work will cost around Rs 70 lakh.

The sewer carries sewage from DLF-2, MG Road and IFFCO Chowk towards the Behrampur sewage treatment plant. GMDA will assess whether further sections need rehabilitation as work continues.

The service road remains barricaded near the cave-in, affecting movement towards the U-turn flyover. Traffic from MG Road and IFFCO Chowk towards Delhi or Sukhrali is being diverted. Motorists travelling towards Delhi must take a U-turn at Sukhrali. NHAI said it will restore the service road after the sewer line is repaired. The road was shut after the cave-in.