Kanhai intersection to be redesigned by GMDA for smoother, safer commute

The problems at the Kanhai intersection were discussed in detail during a GMDA meeting held last week. Officials said a special emphasis was laid on improving a left slip road and a right turn for commuters heading from Bhagwan Mahaveer Marg to make the commute faster and safer

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) will redesign the Kanhai intersection, one of the most important points of the city, from next month to eliminate possibilities of accidents and make commute smoother, officials said on Monday.

The Kanhai intersection, also known as the sector 44-45-52 T-junction, is the point where vehicles from Vikas Marg, Sohna Road, Saint Thomas Marg, Golf Course Road, Bhagwan Mahaveer Marg and Huda City Centre converge. Potholes and open medians have prompted authorities to plump for a redesign and make commute safer. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

The problems at the intersection were discussed in detail during a GMDA meeting held last week, with special emphasis on improving a left slip road and a right turn for commuters heading from Bhagwan Mahaveer Marg.

“During the meeting, the mobility wing of the GMDA made a digital presentation on the challenges at the intersection as well as the possible solutions for it,” a senior GMDA official, who attended the meeting, said.

The intersection, also known as the sector 44-45-52 T-junction, is the point where vehicles from Vikas Marg, Sohna Road, Saint Thomas Marg, Golf Course Road, Bhagwan Mahaveer Marg and Huda City Centre converge.

Despite its importance, the intersection is riddled with problems, including a massive pothole that makes commute difficult.

Among the main issues is a boomerang-shaped free-left slip road near Sushant Estate that is mostly avoided by commuters heading from Saint Thomas Marg, as it takes them much longer to travel through this stretch instead of simply taking a left turn on the main carriageway.

Most commuters prefer to opt for the latter, despite the movement being regulated by a signal, due to which the number of vehicles taking a left tends to be higher than those moving straight, towards Bhagwan Mahaveer Marg, and causing congestion on the carriageway.

“If the service lanes at the Kanhai intersection is fixed and designed correctly, it can reduce the congestion by half. Nobody ever takes the slip lane. The service lane is potholed and like a zig zag,” Rakesh Kapoor, a resident of DLF-5, said.

Another issue is that the median on the Vikas Marg stretch ends abruptly, much before the traffic signal, leaving a large gap at the central point of the intersection, which increases the scope for accidents. As a result, commuters heading from Bhagwan Mahaveer Marg towards Vikas Marg and those heading straight from Sushant Estate towards Bhagwan Mahaveer Marg often get in each others’ way.

Commuters say that out that traffic signals at the intersection are also poorly placed and difficult to spot. The intersection also lacks basic amenities for pedestrians and cyclists.

The GMDA official cited above, who did not wish to be named, said, “One of the suggestions was to use the existing green belt and align the left slip road while for the right turn, compacting the intersection with either large-scale engineering work or placement of jersey barriers was discussed.”

A second official privy to the development said that senior GMDA officials assessed the possible changes and their effectiveness for the public. “It was jointly decided to expedite the work at the intersection. Formalities for the tendering process is underway and we are aiming to start on-ground work from October, once the monsoons clear up,” an official of the GMDA’s mobility wing said.

The official of the mobility wing said that the redesign is a part of the GMDA’s long-term plan to fix a five-kilometre stretch between the intersection and Sohna Road, passing along key arterial stretches of Vikas Marg and San Felipe Marg. Last month, the GMDA floated a ₹9-crore tender to repair and upgrade the five-kilometre stretch.