No bus stops; commuters spill onto expressway, trigger chaos

In the absence of bus shelters on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway, commuters are forced to wait for buses and cabs on the carriageways, putting their lives in danger. Besides, the commuters obstruct the high-speed traffic too.

In the absence of bus shelters on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway, commuters are forced to wait for buses and cabs on the carriageways, putting their lives in danger. Besides, the commuters obstruct the high-speed traffic too.

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Shankar Chowk, Iffco Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, Hero Honda Crossing and Signature Tower Chowk are some of the trouble spots on the expressway. Motorists often flout the 80 kmph limit as the road is signal-free. The police have done precious little to streamline the traffic along the expressway, where one can see cabbies picking and dropping commuters anywhere they like.

According to the city police data, 29 of the 65 people who were killed in road accidents on NH-8 this year — from January to June — were pedestrians.

"As roadways buses do not halt at designated stops, passengers are forced to get down in the middle of main carriageways, leading to chaos. Commuters often come in the way of high-speed traffic resulting in accidents. Although we have taken up the matter with the Haryana Roadways, nothing has been done so far," said a senior traffic police official.

"Cab and bus drivers often flout lane norms. By stopping in the middle of the road, they are not only endangering their lives but also of others," the official added. "There is no concept of dedicated bus stops here. We have to run after buses to board one. It's risky but what can we do? The government must do something," said Sanjay Sharma, a commuter.