Pedestrians first: New routes from east to ITO

In a bid to ensure pedestrian safety at one of the Capital’s busiest intersections -- Ram Charan Aggarwal Chowk at ITO -- the traffic police want the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to ply adequate number of buses on certain routes. Subhendu Ray reports.

In a bid to ensure pedestrian safety at one of the Capital’s busiest intersections -- Ram Charan Aggarwal Chowk at ITO -- the traffic police want the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to ply adequate number of buses on certain routes.

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According to the traffic police, plying adequate number of DTC buses on several routes connecting New Delhi with East Delhi will reduce congestion at the intersection and enhance pedestrian safety.

Currently, about 1,200 DTC buses ply between the two districts on 50 routes through ITO, said a DTC official.

On February 27, additional commissioner of police (traffic) Anil Shukla wrote a letter to DTC charman Rajeev Verma, requesting him to increase the number of direct bus routes connecting New Delhi and east Delhi areas.

The traffic police recently conducted a study and found that because of an inadequate number of DTC buses between New Delhi and east Delhi, the crossing had become a pedestrian interchange hub.

Commuters change at Ram Charan Aggarwal Chowk from North-bound buses and then walk across for the buses bound or east Delhi.

According to officials, in response to the letter, the DTC chairman decided to hold a meeting to identify new possible routes and analyse availability of buses.

“There is an acute shortage of DTC buses. Introduction of new buses would be possible if 625 buses, due to be delivered for the last one year under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM), arrive,” said a DTC official.

Traffic police requested the corporation to increase services of DTC buses in some outer areas such as Badarpur, Tughlakabad, Mehrauli-Badarpur road, Chattarpur, Mahipalpur, Vasant Kunj, Najafgarh, Rohini, Bawana, and Timarpur.

Due to the lack of DTC buses in these areas and in east Delhi, many vehicles ply without valid permits.

Gramin Sewa, though available in these areas, add to traffic woes as these do not follow designated routes, said a traffic police officer.

Traffic police have also offered help in identification of routes where DTC services can be increased.