Ranjan also said public work should be done online through e-governance to completely prohibit entry of commission agents.

He asked the officials to increase the number of counters in transport offices of bigger cities of the state so that the general public was not made to wait. Ranjan was reviewing the functioning of the public works department (PWD) and the transport department here.

He asked the PWD to get 75% financial approvals issued by September and cent per cent by December to complete the works with quality.

He also asked it to present a proposal for establishment of an engineering training institute in the state for training of engineers. As many as 402 habitations with a population of 500 or more in 12 districts must be linked with pucca roads by October under the Shri Ram Saran Das Sadak Yojana, he added.

The task of linking the district headquarters of Gautam Budh Nagar, Aligarh, Bulandshahr, Rae Bareli, Hamirpur, and Hathras with four lane roads should be completed by December, he said.

Source-http://paper.hindustantimes.com/

CUT THE PRACTICE OUT  Gaps in road dividers are a blessing in disguise for motorists looking for a cut-short distance ride. But this practice leads to major traffic jams for most part of the day

LUCKNOW: Ineffective traffic management, poor road sense among people and unnecessary cuts in dividers together make a perfect recipe for chaos on city roads.

GOKHALE MARG CROSSING

The authorities had constructed a permanent divider at this crossing to ease out traffic. But, last month, the divider was removed to facilitate a VIP. Now the crossing is again witnessing traffic snarls, as people coming from Sikander Bagh try to enter through the cut.

While these ‘openings’ are a blessing in disguise for motorists seeking to cut short their travel distance, the practice is proving to be a hindrance to the free movement of other commuters.

HT takes a look at some crossings in the state capital that suffer from daily chaos.

GOKHALE MARG CROSSING

The authorities had constructed a permanent divider at this crossing to ease out traffic. As a result there was no chaos here for some time. Even locals welcomed the move despite having to travel the extra distance (driving up to Sikander Bagh crossing) to reach Nishatganj.

However last month, the divider was removed to facilitate some VIP who resides in Gokhale Marg. And now the crossing is again witnessing traffic snarls, as people coming from Sikander Bagh try to enter Gokhale Marg through the cut, which remained blocked for a year or so.

GOMTI NAGAR (VIBHUTI KHAND) FLYOVER

Those commuting on this stretch going towards the Mithaiwala crossing have developed a habit of taking a short cut through the one-way lane on the wrong side. This opening is meant only for the traffic headed towards Lohia Park.

“People are not ready to go a little distance to reach their destination and as a result there is traffic problem. Rows of vehicles can be seen stranded on the flyover because of this. The authorities have also failed to act strictly against the defaulters. The problem gets worse during office hours,” says Sneha Singh, a daily commuter on the road.

METRO HOSPITAL STRETCH

Initially, there was no opening in the divider here and traffic flow remained streamlined. But now the barricades have been removed, which has led to problems for commuters.

NAZIRABAD ROAD

The local administration had in the past introduced one-way traffic system on this stretch. But due to poor implementation, the system died soon after it was introduced. The lenient attitude of the civic body towards shopkeepers also took a toll on the system.

The one-way traffic system was introduced to prevent traffic jams in the vicinity. Though authorities claimed to devise strategic plans to overcome the problem, no action has been taken till date. Due to increasing vehicular population and mushrooming shopping complexes, the parking problem worsens during school hours and in the evening.

The only proper parking facility available in the area is the underground lot at Jhandewala Park. “Only those driving fourwheelers use it. Two-wheelers are often parked along the roadside, which creates problems,” said Sunil, shopkeeper in Aminabad market.

“The civic body kept on passing maps of multi-storey commercial units without taking note of parking space. As per the rules, it is mandatory to leave adequate space for parking in commercial complexes,” he rued.

Source-http://paper.hindustantimes.com 

  NEW DELHI: Flanked by one of the most densely populated parts of the city, a stretch of Grand Trunk Road (GT Road) — between Shahdara flyover and Shastri Park — is probably the most congested roads in northeast Delhi.

With bicycles, cars, trucks, horse carts, rickshaws and pedestrians all jostling for space, the road is a nightmare for motorists and pedestrians alike. The stretch also shows how flyovers and elevated roads alone cannot ensure the smooth movement of traffic.

The stretch serves as a gateway to one of the most congested residential areas in the Capital and is one of the most vital links between northeast Delhi and central and north Delhi.

The public works department had built a new bridge on the Yamuna, just ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 2010, connecting colonies south of GT Road with central Delhi. It took a lot of traffic away from the stretch yet the traffic volume on GT Road does not seem to have diminished. Apart from the local commuters, the road caters to a huge volume of inter-state traffic between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, especially commercial vehicles than run almost round-the-clock. A two-kilometre long flyover over Shahdara, a grade separator at Welcome and single carriageway flyover at Seelampur have collectively failed to solve the traffic mess on this road. Adding to the chaos is the construction of the elevated section of Delhi Metro’s longest line between Majlis Park and Shiv Vihar.

The traffic mess begins at Jhilmil but it compounds manifold as soon as one crosses Shahdara flyover. The grade separator, opposite Welcome Metro station, remains choc-a-bloc with vehicles during rush hour.

Delhi Metro has taken over a large portion of road and has barricaded it to carry out the construction of piers for its elevated section. The five-lane traffic — three lanes coming from the flyover and two-lane on the slip road — gets squeezed into two here creating a bottleneck.

“This is a major problem point. Buses, tempos, two-wheelers, bicycles and cars all try to get ahead of each other, resulting in jams,” said Gopal Sharma, a resident of Shahdara.

The problem of indiscipline on road is not just confined to this point. Drive another 200 metres and you are welcomed by scores of cars, two-wheelers, cyclists and pedestrians leisurely crossing the road even when the traffic light for straight-moving motorists is green.

“Just before the traffic signal, there is a U-turn under the Seelampur flyover which is used by people going towards Old Seelampur — located on the left of the road. In the absence of any traffic cops, the traffic going towards Old Seelampur moves across the road, causing snarls,” said Anoop Das, a government employee.

Just a 100 metres ahead, there is a traffic light which is actually a free-forall point. Scores of pedestrians, cyclists, and rickshaws coming from Jafrabad continue to cross the road even when the traffic light for straight-moving traffic is green. Though there are traffic policemen deployed at the intersection, they rarely intervene.

“It is simply bad planning. Despite the heavy movement of vehicles and pedestrians here, the government has built a single carriageway flyover that carries Shahdara-bound vehicular traffic coming from Shastri Park side. The traffic going in the other direction is obstructed by pedestrians and rickshaws. The government should have constructed a double lane flyover and should have also built and integrated cycle track and pedestrian facility to ensure seamless movement of traffic,” said Sharma.

A PWD official said plans are afoot to build another flyover that will run parallel to the existing one. “A consultant has been hired to suggest the design and how different types of traffic can be segregated. We are taking up this project on priority,” the official said.

Illegal parked auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws and mini and DTC buses picking and dropping passengers right in the middle of the road opposite Seelampur Mall as well as near Jafrabad on the road going in other direction also causes traffic jam. “We have taken up the issue of buses stopping in middle of the road with DTC officials several times. But nothing has been done,” a traffic police official said.

Source-http://paper.hindustantimes.com/

The daily number of vehicles seized went down considerably as drivers are now scared and hesitant to take out their vehicles, traffic officials said.

In the first two days after the high court ban, 302 vehicles were seized. The police said a consolidated figure would be released by the department in a few days.

“Many drivers are refraining from taking their vehicles out, which has made our work easier,” said a senior traffic official.

Though police have successfully implemented the ban, the drivers have been left with no source of income. “If the government does take a decision, lakhs of families will either die of starvation or will be forced to commit suicide,” said Mohammad Sohail, an e-rickshaw driver in Burari.

Thousands of rickshaw drivers had gathered at Jantar Mantar on Sunday to find a solution to their problem at the Aam Aadmi Party’s rally. “This is the problem of over three lakh drivers and their families and this will definitely be a decisive factor for the Delhi elections,” claimed Divakar Kumar another rickshaw driver.

According to an estimate, more than two lakh e-rickshaws ply in the city. These rickshaws can at best ferry four passengers and an additional weight of 25-50 kg luggage. They were supposed to be re gistered with the municipal corporations, which were scheduled to issue identity cards to the drivers.

In the last week of June, the three municipal corporations took up the task of preparing policies for e-rickshaws after Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari announced the regularisation of these vehicles.

Source-http://paper.hindustantimes.com/

The HC, on July 31, had ordered a ban on these vehicles, saying they are prima facie a hazard to other traffic as well as citizens.

A bench of Justice BD Ahmed and Justice Siddharth Mridul said it will hear the application filed by the Battery Rickshaw Welfare Association on Tuesday.

“You are very well aware of the traffic regulations. Until and unless it (e-rickshaws) is regulated, how can it be permitted?” the bench asked.

Advocate RK Kapoor, appearing for the association, sought urgent hearing of the case saying an advisory had been issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to the chief secretaries of all the state governments and Union territories regarding regulation of electric motor propelled three-wheeled vehicles.

Kapoor contended that this advisory had not been brought to the attention of the court.

The application contended that lakhs of families depend upon e-rickshaws for their livelihood “and in the interest of justice, this court may review/modify the order dated July 31”.

There are around 70,000 battery-operated rickshaws plying on roads in the national capital.

The association pleaded that since the ministry proposes to amend the Motor Vehicles Act for regulating such e-rickshaws, they may be permitted to operate, subject to the compliance of any regulations, which may be issued by the Delhi traf fic police or the local administration.

It also sought directions to the authorities to act upon the ministry’s advisory which “specifically provides that to provide last-mile connectivity to the commuters and livelihood to manually operated three-wheeled rickshaws and carts, it was decided to facilitate their replacement with electric motor powered three-wheeled rickshaws and carts”.

On July 31, the HC had ordered a ban on these vehicles saying they were illegally running and “prima facie a hazard to other traffic as well as citizens”.

Source- http://paper.hindustantimes.com/