New Delhi, Apr 24 (IANS): The much awaited Ashram underpass opened for regular traffic on Sunday.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia dedicated the underpass to the public in an event at Ashram Chowk on Sunday morning.

Addressing the event, he said that this underpass will save around 1,550 litres of fuel on daily basis which used to be wasted due to heavy traffic.

"As per an estimation, around 1,550 litres of fuel used to be wasted due to heavy traffic here. The most important advantage of this underpass is that it will save both natural fuel and time to the public."

He further said the heavy traffic also contributed towards the daily emission of 3,601 kg carbon dioxide at the Chowk, which can be now be prevented.

This is a remarkable achievement from pollution point and the underpass is a step forward for making the roads and traffic movement smooth in the city, Sisodia added.

"The real inauguration of this underpass was held on March 22 itself by the public, this is just an formal event to dedicate this underpass to them."

The construction work on the 750-metre underpass began in December 2019 and missed eight deadlines so far leading to persistent snarls at one of the city's most trafficking stretches.

The underpass will provide a signal-free ride between Nizamuddin and Badarpur on Mathura Road at the Ashram intersection.