NEW DELHI: With daily commuters facing harrowing time due to massive traffic jams, a new entry-exit arrangement at four locations on a carriageway of National Highway-48 connecting Delhi to Gurugram has been proposed.
The National Highway Authority of India and Delhi Traffic Police have carried out separate studies and proposed steps to decongest the crucial stretch for commuters from Delhi to Gurugram, according to sources. The four locations are in Mahipalpur, Shiv Murti and two points at Shankar Vihar.
To decongest the stretch between Gurgaon Road-Parade Road crossing and Shiv Murti, it has been proposed that only exit points should be made at Shankar Vihar and Mahipalpur, officials privy to the development told this newspaper. The other two points - Shankar Vihar and Shiv Murti - can serve as an entry points.
Around three lakh commuters, mostly office-goers, use the NH-48 every day. The commuters say it takes one hour to cover the 6.9-km stretch during peak hours, with the bottleneck near Shiv Murti causing huge problem. The spillover traffic from Shankar Vihar hits the area near Dhaula Kuan and also Rao Tula Ram Marg till Vasant Vihar.
There are three main locations on NH-48 where the traffic is particularly bad. For example, Shankar Vihar doesn’t have separate entry and exit points, thus choking the stretch and piling up of vehicles. Now, an exit point has been planned on the stretch, with an entry point being ahead. Similar is the situation in Mahipalpur where there is no separate entry and exit point.
The area is close to the IGI Airport and dotted with budget hotels. It has now been suggested that the stretch be made only exit point. A separate provision has been proposed near Shiv Murti from where vehicles can enter the highway.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had recently said that the Delhi Traffic Police conducted a survey in March 2024 in which problem of congestion was found in 134 locations, primarily due to construction work by various civic agencies and encroachment. The report was shared with concerned agencies for actions.
The traffic cops have also shared a list of 128 bad/potholed roads and 97 damaged/encroached footpaths to civic agencies in October 2024.
BOTTLENECKS
Around 3 Lakh commuters use NH-48 every day
New entry-exit arrangement at 4 locations - Mahipalpur, Shiv Murti & two points at Shankar Vihar - on a carriageway of NH-48 connecting Delhi to Gurugram
Only exit points Shankar Vihar and Mahipalpur to decongest stretch between Gurgaon Road-Parade Road crossing and Shiv Murti
Only entry points near Shankar Vihar and Shiv Murti
NH-48 is marred by frequent traffic snarls
Spillover traffic goes till Dhaula Kuan and Rao Tula Ram Marg till Vasant Vihar