Happy walking! Spot these new safe havens for pedestrians in Delhi-NCR

You can now walk with ease at some spots in the city, where efforts are being made to make roads safer for commuters, especially cyclists and pedestrians.

Blaring horns and cars that threaten to run over you, which are common on the roads of the Capital often seem like a scene straight out of the game of Road Rash. But now, you can also walk with ease at some spots in the city, with efforts being made to make roads safer for commuters, especially cyclists and pedestrians.

A section of the Delhi Gate intersection has been painted and demarcated with traffic cones on a trial basis, to encourage pedestrianisation. (Photo: Amal KS/HT)

With the use of cones and painted areas to demarcate the walking zone, the traffic intersection at Delhi Gate has been turned pedestrian friendly, for a month-long trial, by Delhi Traffic Police. “The objective of the redesign, which is to make the crossing pedestrian friendly, is running successfully. A bylane has been provided for pedestrian movement, and 600 hundred cones have been used to shorten the existing space of intersection. We have also clearly demarcated the zebra crossings on all four sides of the intersection,” explains Brijendra Yadav, DCP traffic, Central Range, adding how more of such initiatives are in the works around the Capital.

As part of a month-long trial, Delhi Traffic Police is testing improvements for road safety and accident reduction at the Delhi Gate junction. (Photo: Amal KS/HT)

North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has also issued an order, to revive the 1.5km stretch in Karol Bagh market that had been earlier pedestrianised. The newly revamped Chandni Chowk will also limit vehicles that ply on the roads during the day, thus making it safer for visitors in the market.

And come to think of the satellite city of Delhi, that is Gurugram, and there’s a process to reclaim the streets here, too! One of Gurugram’s oldest and busiest markets, Sadar Bazar, has been converted into a car-free zone till April 15. This move has been made as a part of its pedestrianisation trial under the #StreetsForPeople initiative, and has become a hit among those visiting the market! “It was so convenient to walk around in the market without bumping into cars,” says Juhi Sahai, a Gurugram-based medical practitioner, adding, “The streets have been painted, seats for visitors have been created from scrap, there is an exhibition zone and also a chaupal for cultural activities. Now the vibe of the place is so youthful and it would be perfect to have Sadar Bazar become a permanent vehicle free cultural zone, just like how it is at the Mall road markets in the hills!”

Gurugram’s Sadar Bazar has been converted into a car-free zone till April 15.

Sarika Panda Bhatt, co-founder of Raahgiri Foundation, which is working towards making streets pedestrian and cycle friendly, says, “The transformation of the areas in Delhi-NCR would be beneficial for every stakeholder including shoppers and residents. Sadar Bazaar, Karol Bagh, Chandni Chowk – all these places are commercial hubs, which have become unusable because of the congestion on roads. We are making efforts to sensitise people so that they do not crowd core city areas with vehicles. But, we need more pedestrian and cycle friendly streets in and around the Capital because it’s more convenient, especially in the markets where people spend a lot of time walking. Making our streets safer will certainly lead to better living conditions in the city.”

Author tweets @bhagat_mallika

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