Gurgaon: Residents hope for swift engg changes to underpasses

Ashok Sharma, NHAI’s project director, said that more signage could be put up at the two underpasses as requested by the traffic police

Residents are eagerly anticipating engineering changes at the Signature Towers and Rajiv Chowk underpasses, where poor signage and lighting are leading to accidents and snarls.

The Gurgaon deputy commissioner had directed the NHAI to install proper signage and improve lighting at the Rajiv Chowk and Signature Tower (in pic) underpasses during the road safety meeting held in the city on Monday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

After the Hindustan Times ran stories highlighting the issue at the underpasses earlier this month, deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh directed officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to execute the requisite changes.

“In (the) last road safety committee meeting, NHAI was asked to install proper signage and lighting at both of the newly opened underpasses as they remain dark even during the daytime,” Singh said.

Residents for whom these deficiencies posed daily threats and challenges, the DC’s directive holds importance as this might ensure safety, theirs and others, on the road.

“The direction to relocate or install proper signage is the need of the hour and will put an end to the mess which that has become routine since January 22 when the two underpasses were opened. Commuters unfamiliar with city roads are not able to understand the directions on the signage as they are placed at the entrance of the underpasses. Either they completely miss the signage or stall at the entrance to understand which way tare they supposed to go; by doing this, they block traffic at the mouth of the underpass and cause snarls,” Bhanu Sharma, a resident of Civil Lines, said.

Read I Gurgaon: Inauguration of underpasses at Rajiv Chowk, Signature Tower rescheduled to Jan 22

The DC had directed the NHAI to install proper signage and improve lighting at the underpasses during the road safety meeting held on Monday. The issue was further discussed on Thursday when it was raised by the traffic police officials at a meeting with the road engineering department, chaired by Vinay Pratap Singh. The traffic police suggested usage of high mast lights as a possible solution.

Ashok Sharma, NHAI project director, said, “We have installed adequate signboards. However, if more are required, they can be provided as requested by the traffic police. The traffic safety audit report on the underpasses is expected soon, and all additional (safety) measures suggested in the report shall be taken up by the NHAI.”