Traffic police have started placing bollards and traffic cones to ensure compliance of the free-left rule at major intersections, after ground-level surveys found that motorists heading in other directions occupied the left lanes, blocking free access to those seeking to take a left turn, police said.
Gurugram Traffic Police to ease congestion and enhance traffic efficiency initiated a measure to streamline traffic flow by designating left lanes as free for vehicles at Iffco Chowk metro station traffic light near Sector-29 in Gurugram. (Parveen Kumar/HT PHOTO)
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Police said the drive will ensure smoother traffic flow at major junctions and ease congestion at usual bottlenecks.
Virender Vij, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), said: “We conducted survey of major spots across the city and noticed that left lanes were occupied by commuters going straight or right. We decided to make them free for left-lane users. We have placed cones, set up barricades, and placed bollards at key locations across the city.”
Vij said the left lanes will remain free on major routes: Iffco Metro station signal to Millennium City Center and vice versa, and Huda City Center to Leisure Valley Park, at the Sector 31 junction, both sides of Rajiv Chowk underpass, T-points at Ghata, and sectors 21 and 22, from the direction of Rezangla Chowk, and at multiple points along the Sector 37 road, including Basai Chowk T-point, Z Chowk, and South City -2 Chowk.
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Traffic inspectors have been instructed to identify more locations where arrangements need to be made to ensure free left, Vij said.
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Traffic inspectors have been instructed to identify more locations where arrangements need to be made to ensure free left, Vij said.
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Commuters welcomed the initiative and said it would reduce congestion at intersections.
Abhimanyu Sharma, of Palam Vihar, who works in Delhi, said that he has to wait for over 20 minutes to take a left as it is always blocked. “It is frustrating to get stuck in traffic just because the left lane is blocked by vehicles going straight. This delay adds unnecessary stress to my commute. It is unfair that those of us wanting to turn left have to wait because others have not followed traffic rules,” he said.
Rajiv Bagga, of Sector 17 B, said that he has been late to work multiple times because he could not turn left due to congestion. “It is about time they made changes to improve traffic flow. It is not just about the inconvenience; it also affects our productivity,” he said.
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
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