Anath Road to be redesigned as city’s first model street

Anath Road — a 2.4-kilometre stretch in Sector 18 that runs parallel to the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway — is likely to be redesigned as the city’s first model street.

Anath Road — a 2.4-kilometre stretch in Sector 18 that runs parallel to the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway — is likely to be redesigned as the city’s first model street. The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), along with Raahgiri Foundation and a few private stakeholders, are jointly executing this project.

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As per GMDA officials, more than 6,000 pedestrians and cyclists use this narrow, busy stretch every day that has the passport office and many multinational corporations. Built in the 1990s, the pothole-riddled stretch neither has any pedestrian amenities nor any speed-calming measures.

The redesigning of the street will include two aspects: One part will be solely dedicated for pedestrians and cyclists while the other path will be reserved for motorists. The redesigning will also accommodate around 390 trees, which will come in the path of the proposed changes.

“The project is being executed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. It is the city’s first attempt towards making a model street — one which will address and cater to the needs of both motorised and non-motorised modes of transport. The design plan has received approval, and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed by the government and the private stakeholders,” said Sarika Panda Bhatt, a city-based road safety expert, who is one of the members overseeing the project.

As per GMDA officials privy to the matter, on-ground work is expected to start in the first week of March.

“There are three main stages in this project. The design aspect has been completed theoretically and has also been approved. In the second stage, GMDA will be assessing the utilities coming in the path of the project and figure out ways to redesign around it or, if the need arises, shift them to a different location. In the third stage, simultaneous to the second, we will clear all encroachments on the stretch and subsequently, start on-ground work,” said a senior GMDA official privy to the matter.

As per the design plan, the path for pedestrians and cyclists will be shared while a two-metre-wide green belt or footpath extension will divide the non-motorised transport (NMT) path and the one used by motorists.

In the green belt or footpath extension, benches for sitting purposes have also been incorporated into the design.

The width of the 2.4-kilometre stretch is not uniform. At certain points, the right of way (ROW) is 45 metres wide while in some areas it narrows down to 30 metres. As per officials privy to the matter, dedicated pick-up and drop points have been earmarked in the design plan wherever the ROW is 45 metres wide and extra space is available.

“The rationale behind the creation of dedicated pickup and drop points is to eliminate parking on the footpath or stalling on the main street and holding traffic. To safeguard those on the NMT path, bollards have been placed at the entry and exit points in the design plan to prevent vehicles from accessing the lane. Further, raised zebra crossings have also been incorporated into the design to help pedestrians cross from end to the other,” said Bhatt.

Raised zebra crossings not only helps to create a dedicated path for pedestrians to cross the stretch, but the extra elevation also helps motorists spot pedestrians better. As such, such crossings act as speed-calming structures.

Depending on the volume of pedestrians and vehicles, some raised zebra crossings are signalised and have pelican lights.

The redesign model also has spaces for setting up e-recharging stations, which can be used by e-rickshaws or electric cabs.

VS Kundu, chief executive officer (CEO) of GMDA, explained that the redesigning is being done in two ways. Kundu said that the GMDA would be relaying the entire 2.4-kilometre carriageway while the Raahgiri Foundation and other private stakeholders will be responsible for redesigning the NMT path, green belts, and sitting areas through corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding.

“The philosophy of the GMDA, as per the city’s mobility plan, is to create road solutions for the people rather than for motorists. Our top priority in this regard is pedestrians, followed by cyclists, public transport and vehicular traffic. The Anath Road redesigning is being carried out keeping this point of view,” said Kundu.

Kundu said that GMDA’s initial plan for the project was to simply widen the Ananth Road, officially known as Subedar Major Laxmi Chand Road. However, he said that the GMDA realised that the existing width of the road is sufficient enough for vehicular traffic, provided the same path is no longer mixed, and being used by both cyclists or pedestrians as well.

Kundu said that the estimated cost for redesigning the entire project is estimated to be at least ₹16 crore, half of which would be for relaying the main carriageway and the other half for redesigning the NMT stretch.

“This project is emblematic of Gurugram, in which the civil society, companies and the administration work cooperatively to develop a model street, which prioritises road safety for all categories of road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists,” said Manas Fuloria, CEO of Nagarro, one of the companies funding this project.