Chaos continues to plague old stretch

While the Delhi government is planning to start operations on the second segment of the BRT corridor soon, it is yet to put the segment from Ambedkar Nagar to Moolchand Hospital in order.

While the Delhi government is planning to start operations on the second segment of the BRT corridor soon, it is yet to put the segment from Ambedkar Nagar to Moolchand Hospital in order.

HT Image

Cars in the bus lane and motorbikes in the cycle lane are quite common, in spite of traffic marshals guiding traffic at various intersections on the 5.8-km stretch.

Only buses and public service vehicles on emergency duty are supposed to use the bus lane. But, bureaucrats, policemen, politicians and army personnel move freely in the segregated lane.

HT counted 25 cars in half an hour in the bus lane between Chirag Delhi flyover and the Moolchand flyover.

“It is not possible to stop the occasional car. Speeding is common and I can’t put my life at risk by blocking their way,”
said Ravindra Prasad (38), a traffic policemen at Chirag Dilli crossing.

Prasad said he makes every effort to segregate vehicular flow, which is worst during office hours. A complete disregard for traffic rules amongst people is how Prasad sums up his 8-hour shift.

Traffic marshal Yogender Pal (name changed on request) says, “The people in vehicles don’t even fear the cops, let alone us,” he said.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) S.N. Shrivastava, however, has a different take.

“The police routinely patrol the corridor. Challans are issued to traffic violators,” he said.