NEW DELHI: In order to decongest Delhi roads and ensure smooth traffic movement, the government is going to develop separate bus lanes and remove illegal parking and encroachments in the bus lanes.
A meeting was held on September 2 by Deputy CM Manish Sisodia where improving the bus lanes was discussed, said a senior government official.
“An enforcement drive will start in the coming weeks to remove illegal parking and traffic police will generate awareness among DTC drives to ply only in the bus lanes. Anyone found violating the rules will be fined. The PWD has been asked to mark the bus lanes and install signages,” he said.
The left side of every road/stretch is dedicated for buses and heavy goods vehicles. But with many city roads encroached for parking or occupied by vendors, the heavy vehicles ply in the middle of the road, creating traffic chaos and increasing accident rates, said a senior PWD official.
Officials said the PWD will mark the lanes with thermoplastic paint for a longer life. “Once the markings are done, traffic police will generate awareness among bus and heavy vehicle drivers to use the dedicated lanes. The enforcement by transport department and traffic police will start from September 20 or month-end. Other vehicles can use the bus lanes when there is no bus plying but buses and heavy vehicles will necessarily have to use the bus lanes or else fines will be imposed,” said the official.
Officials said in the long run, the AAP government has decided to create dedicated bus lanes on 560 km of roads which it plans to redevelop.
Asked if there was a plan to revive the failed BRT corridor, a senior PWD official, said, “BRT failed because it was create in middle of the road due to which heavy traffic jams and accidents were witnessed. But these separate lanes will be developed on the existing dedicated bus lanes.”