Year on year, several stretches on the arterial roads across Delhi remain choked for various reasons. HT takes a look at the 10 worst stretches and the reasons for continuing problems. The solution, planners say, lies in a robust public transport system.
1) Rao Tula Ram Flyover
This south Delhi flyover connects the airport with the city. Is one of the city’s
RUSH HOUR: For those who love Delhi, downsides like this traffic pile-up, an everyday affair, hardly matter.
busiest stretches. Caters to traffic from IIT, Dwarka, Gurgaon, Vasant Vihar.
Length: 1km
Peak hour speed: 10-15 kmph
Commuting time: 20-30 mins (peak hours), 10 min (non-peak hours)
Reality-check commuting time:
Morning: 8.46am – 9.09am
Evening: 7.55pm – 8.31pm
Problems:
The flyover has two lanes in each direction.
Traffic snarls common between IIT and Gurgaon Toll Road. Is a traffic bottleneck.
Solution: Needs to be converted into a two-carriageway flyover with three lanes in each direction
Commuter speak
Firoj Ahmad: It takes me at least 45 minutes to cover the 6-km stretch between Dwarka and Jasola. The narrow single-lane carriageway is the major reason for snarls.
2) SP Marg to Mother Teresa Crescent
Thousands commute from central and west Delhi to airport or Gurgaon via this road. Morning: Heavy traffic towards Mother Teresa Crescent; Evening: Jams on the opposite carriageway.
Length: 3km
Peak hour speed: 10 kmph
Commuting time: 25 mins (peak hours), 7 min (non-peak hours)
Reality-check commuting time:
Morning: 9.40am – 10.08am
Evening: 6.25pm – 6.55pm
Problems:
Both carriageways single-laned
Merger of traffic from several other roads; bunching of traffic near Taj Palace hotel
Heavy army vehicles’ movement
Solution: An elevated corridor over the road
Commuter speak
Baibhav Khetrapal: In morning, we get stuck when going toward central Delhi. In evening, we get stuck on the other side. Ridge Road’s closure has worsened the situation.
3) DND to AIIMS
Your smooth drive ends when you get down from DND flyover on your way to AIIMS as traffic through DND flyover and Sarai Kale Khan merges at this point. The stretch does not have adequate pedestrian facilities.
Length: 12km
Peak hour speed: 10-15 kmph
Commuting time: 1 hour (peak hours), 20 mins (non peak hours)
Reality-check commuting time:
Morning: 8am – 9am
Evening: 7.45pm – 8.55pm
Problems:
Lack of pedestrian facilities; accident-prone stretch
Unscientific merging and diverging of traffic; lack of appropriate signages, road markings
Solution: Build underpasses, pedestrian corridors; second tire flyover, proper signages needed
Commuter speak
Urmila Bhalla: It takes at least an hour to drive from DND to AIIMS during peak hours. The situation was a lot worse before the Barapullah elevated road came into existence.
4) Ashram to Badarpur
Travelling on this NH-2 stretch is tough. The three-laned loop is saturated with vehicles leaving no space for pedestrians. Poor road adds to woes.
Length: 13km
Peak hour speed: 10 kmph
Commuting time: 1 hour (peak hour), 45 mins (non-peak hours)
Reality-check commuting time:
Morning: 9.15am – 10.15am
Evening: 6.45pm – 7.39pm
Problems:
Huge traffic volume; poor condition of road
Merger of Faridabad-bound traffic
No pedestrian facility
Solution: Repair the road, create pedestrian facility, 6-km flyover to connect Faridabad
Commuter speak
Upendra Kumar: Driving here is a nightmare. Sometimes, it takes me over an hour. If a vehicle breaks down, which happens often, you are in for a long haul.
5) Soami Nagar to Savitri Cinema
This stretch, connecting south Delhi to southeast, is always clogged. A bottleneck at Savitri Cinema brings creates jams, which can be 3-km-long.
Length: 2.5km
Peak hour speed: 10 kmph
Commuting time: 20 mins (peak hour); 3 mins (non-peak hours)
Reality-check commuting time:
Morning: 9 am – 10: 30 am
Evening: 6.30 pm – 8.15 pm
Problems:
Bottleneck after Chirag Dilli flyover from Soami Nagar
Vehicles for BRT corridor have to wait for 8-10 mins to join traffic
Solution: Widen bottleneck at Savitri Cinema, reduce waiting time at BRT red light
Commuter speak
Namita Khanna: This road is a nightmare. I have to keep a buffer of half an hour to reach on time. Traffic slows down as soon as it nears Savitri Cinema.
6) IIT Gate to Yusuf Sarai
This Aurobindo Marg stretch has seen many changes in traffic management. Traffic is managed well in morning but evenings are another matter.
Length: 1.75km
Peak hour speed: 10-15 kmph
Commuting time: 15- 20 mins (peak hours), 2 mins (non-peak hours)
Reality-check commuting time:
Morning: 8.45 am – 11 am
Evening: 7 pm – 8.30 pm
Problems:
The busy left turn at the Green Park Extn is very narrow,
Parking along Green Park market and Yusuf Sarai
Solution: Widen left turn at Green Part Extn; stop illegal parking along the road
Commuter speak
Rahul Dagar: The traffic police should do something about the parking on roadsides. People just park in the middle of the road and narrow it further.
7)Pusa Road to Shadipur
One of the busiest roads of west Delhi, Metro has brought some relief to Patel Road. But motorists continue to face hardships in peak hours.
Length: Nearly 3km
Peak hour speed: 10-20 kmph
Commuting time: 20 minutes (peak hours), 10 minutes (non-peak hours)
Reality-check commuting time:
Morning: 10.03am-10.25am
Evening: 6.40pm-7.14pm
Problems:
Jaywalking pedestrians cause vehicles to halt suddenly
Road width is uneven that causes bottlenecks
Solution: Build proper pedestrian facilities, road width should be equalised
Commuter speak
Nidhi Sehgal: The narrow road at the first crossing near Patel Nagar Police Station makes it a difficult drive. Pedestrians also don’t follow any traffic rules.
8) Faiz Road X-ing to Ajmal Khan Road X-ing
This tiny stretch witnesses utter chaos during peak hours as thousands of vehicles gather here to enter Delhi from Haryana and vice versa
Length: Around 1km
Peak hour speed: 10 kmph
Commuting time: 10 minutes (peak hours), 4 minutes (non-peak hours)
Reality-check commuting time:
Morning: 9.10am-9.25am
Evening: 6.12pm-6.31pm
Problems:
Width of road not enough
Road is dug up at several spots
Unauthorised parking of cars on both sides of the stretch
Solution: Unauthorised parking needs to be checked, roads should be repaired and widened
Commuter speak
Himanshu Grover: Travelling on this stretch is a big hassle, especially during peak hours. Cars parked on both sides of the road only add to the chaos.
9) GTB Nagar to Mukarba Chowk
This road connects north and outer Delhi to rest of the city. Colonies such as Model Town, Gujrawala Town, Mukherjee Nagar fall on this stretch.
Length: 6km
Peak hour speed: 8-12 kmph
Commuting time: 45-75 minutes (peak hours), 22 minutes (non-peak hours)
Reality-check commuting time:
Morning: 9 am – 9.50am
Evening: 6.15pm – 7:20pm
Problems:
Ten traffic signals mean slow driving on a road full of potholes.
Trucks line up near Azadpur Sabzi Mandi, making non-peak hours equally bad.
Solution: A flyover or two needed; road need regular repair work; deploy more traffic policemen
Commuter speak
Virender Singh: Reaching this stretch is itself a a big task and once you do, long jam waits you. Traffic lights at every crossing you and flyover is required to solve the problem.
10) Dayanand Vihar to Laxmi Nagar mod
Vikas Marg is the lifeline of east Delhi’s plotted colonies. Signals with a huge waiting time, pedestrians and rickshaws lead to a perennial slow-moving traffic.
Length: 3.3km
Peak hour speed: 22-25 kmph
Commuting time: 22 minutes (peak hour), 15 minutes (non-peak hour)
Reality-check commuting time:
Morning: 10.10 am – 10.22 am
Evening: 5.45 pm – 6.15 pm
Problems:
Rampant jaywalking due to zero pedestrian facilities, cycle rickshaws plying on the main road
Lack of adequate parking which narrows the road further
Solution: Build pedestrian facilities, deter pedestrians from jaywalking, deploy more traffic cops
Commuter speak
Mahesh Kumar: Traffic police have no control over pedestrian movement. The entire stretch is accident-prone as pedestrians dart from here and there throughout the road.
Grill session
Using public transport the only solution
Satyendra Garg, Joint CP (traffic)
How will you tackle the problem of traffic snarls on the city’s arterial roads?
Delhiites will continue to face these problems unless more people switch to public transport. Most roads are chocked during peak hours mainly due to the rise in the number of cars plying on them. The situation will worsen in future unless there is a change in the culture of commuting.
Do you think Delhi has a robust public transport system in place?
No, not at all. Number of buses, autos and taxis should be increased so that people find commuting on them more comfortable. Autos and taxis should be available on demand and authorities must ensure that they ply by meter. People will happily leave cars at home and take public transport at least to work.
What about the Delhi Metro?
Delhi Metro is the best mode of public transport today and has helped thousands make a switch to using public transport. Expansion of the Metro network will further improve the situation. But last mile connectivity is a major issue. If the Metro can ensure that, a significant number will switch to Metro.
Use of intelligent transport system can tackle jams
PK Sarkarm, traffic expert
Can congestion on city’s arterial roads be decreased at all?
It is possible only if the government takes appropriate measures with respect to travel demand and traffic management system. Intelligent transport system should be applied as it will benefit both road users and transport operators.
What are the five immediate measures you suggest?
Improve traffic management measures, discourage car use by providing strong public transport facilities, impose congestion tax if necessary, issue driving licence in a scientific manner, ensure that motorists follow traffic rules. Also improve the incident management system so that breakdown of vehicles are addressed immediately.
Do you think traffic management needs to be improved to bring in some significant difference? If so, how?
It will definitely make a significant difference with respect to improvement of traffic flow. There will also be a decrease in road accidents in the area. Moreover, it will improve air quality and minimise traffic noise in the area.
