MCG okays pedestrian friendly redesign plan for Palam Vihar crossing

The redesign is essential considering increasing congestion and accidents on this stretch. An important element of the new design focuses is road safety.

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) will redesign the Palam Vihar Junction on Old Delhi-Gurgaon Road to reduce congestion and give priority to pedestrians. It is the most important intersection on the Old Delhi-Gurgaon Road and handles major traffic going towards Udyog Vihar and other industrial areas.

The stretch was inspected on Tuesday by MCG sub-divisional officer Sanjay Bansal.

“The redesign plan by WRI India has been approved. The project will take time as funds are involved. Meanwhile, traffic police has started diverting traffic from the route to ensure smooth traffic,” MCG commissioner V Umashankar said.

The redesign is essential considering increasing congestion and accidents on this stretch. An important element of the new design focuses is road safety.

The new design focuses on two broad issues—improving pedestrian facilities because of their high volume and reducing the size of the intersection to make it safer and more manageable.

According to the volume count and traffic survey conducted by WRI India team during peak hours, about 8,000 pedestrians cross the intersection every day. The survey further states that the average share of traffic around the intersection comprises of 42% pedestrians, making them the largest road-user group. This was followed by cars occupying 30% space at the intersection.

Despite the high volume of pedestrian traffic, the road does not have any facilities to address their movement.

While there are footpaths connecting nearby villages of Mullahera and Dundahera to the office and industrial areas, pedestrians have no facility to cross the Jwala mill intersection, leading to jaywalking.

“The residents of my society find it difficult to commute on the stretch during peak hours. The long queues outside due to the CNG pump and commuters encroaching the road results in traffic congestion. We have written to the authorities several times but there has been no action,” Lt Col (retd) Sanjay Sehgal, a resident of Gurgaon One Apartments, said.

“Dug-up areas, garbage piles and parked vehicles, especially from the automobile repair shops, obstruct pedestrian movement. There are unused lanes for turning left that can easily be taken over for pedestrian use,” said Sarika Panda Bhatt, manager, Streets For All, WRI India.

The other suggested solutions include changing angles at turns and slip roads, reducing the size of the intersection, better lighting, new ramps, railing, road markings and better signage.

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