Sunday, July 31, 2005

The Delhi Traffic Police is busy catching motorists driving vehicles having tinted glasses on rear and side windows. Until 28 July the cops have prosecuted a total of 31,196 motorists for using dark glasses.

On July 26, 27 and 28, they prosecuted 3,886 motorists for having tinted films on the rear and side window screens in their vehicles. The cops even got removed films from 2,640 vehicles during those days.

According to a Delhi Traffic Police release, “It is reiterated that window screens of the motor vehicles should be absolutely transparent. Delhi Traffic Police will continue this drive against such vehicles having dark/black/reflective films and get them removed, besides prosecution at the spot.”

In fact Ajit from Noida called me to ask whether there is any complaint number of Delhi Traffic Police where one could lodge a complaint of any traffic offenses. He was specific about reporting about vehicles using tinted glasses. I spoke to Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Qamar Ahmed and he said that one could always call the 24-hour Traffic Help line number 23378888 and lodge a complaint there.

So next time you see a car having tinted glasses you can always call the Delhi Traffic Police help line number to register a complaint.

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

I received a mail from SM Hussain who writes, “The round-about at Pul Pahladpur near Suraj Apartments and opposite to the Railway Reservation Office, has been demolished a couple of months back to ease traffic congestion. So far no action has been taken by the authorities to fix traffic signals in its place. As a result of this heavy traffic jams and accidents are happening day in and day out.

“With no signals, vehicles move in all directions without any traffic police manning them. Continuing with 'round-abouts', there was a time, Delhi had maximum number of them instead of traffic-signals. These round-abouts look beautiful with shrubs, green grass, fountains etc., and add beauty to the city roads. Some of the well maintained round-abouts are still found in the diplomatic area (Chankyapuri) and opposite to the Teen Murti Bhawan where the density of traffic is relatively less. But with the increase in traffic, these round-abouts have become redundant and they have been replaced with traffic signals for smooth flow of traffic.

“Multiplicity of authorities like Delhi Police, MCD, CPWD, Road Research Organisation etc., are involved in removing round-abouts and replacing them with traffic signals. Traffic is going to increase many-fold in coming years and traffic jams are going to become a daily routine especially during peak hours if these round-abouts are not replaced with proper traffic signals.”

Even in Chandigarh, some of the beautiful roundabouts have given way to traffic signals. But only at places where there is a heavy movement of traffic. However, in Delhi too few rotaries were changed into traffic signals. But personally I feel that rotaries do a good job provided the traffic police man it. The problem is lot of Delhi drivers don’t follow the traffic rules. Hence jams occur.

According to Delhi Traffic Police, the general principles for the 'right of way' in the Traffic system followed in India are:-
(i) The vehicle on one's right side gets the priority.
(ii) The vehicle on the main road gets priority over the vehicle entering from a side road and
(iii) The vehicle already on the rotary gets priority over the vehicle entering the rotary.

At each roundabout the right of way is that of the vehicles which is already in the roundabout and the vehicle, which is yet to enter must come to a halt, give way to traffic on its right which is already in the roundabout and then only proceed to enter.
I hope if everybody follows this norm, one would have a smoother flow of traffic in the roundabouts.

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Recently, the Delhi government released its statistical handbook and according to it in Delhi there are 42,36,675 registered vehicles in 2003-2004. According to it there were 39,70,870 registered vehicles in 2002-03. Which means 2,65,805 vehicles were added in 365 days and on an average 728 vehicles are added every day. I think I am in a wrong business. Should have been an automobile dealer.

Anyways, let’s get down to business now. I received a mail from Harsh Baluja. He is a resident of New Moti Nagar and is facing traffic problems. Actually one of the most harassed lot are residents of Moti nagar area, as due to the Metro construction, they are facing lot of problems.

He writes, “I am residing in New Moti Nagar area of West Delhi and would like to draw your kind attention to the increasing traffic congestion and vehicular movement in this residential area caused by auto dealers and outside vehicles.

“Around 2-3 years back, this auto market was active only on the main road & around Milan Cinema and Karam Pura Commercial Complex. Now they have started encroaching into residential blocks and almost all entry points are blocked by them.

“The worst part is, they are also doing maintenance, test-drive, denting, painting & spray work, which is not only causing air pollution but also may lead to various health hazards. Every time they are marching into the residential area making noise pollution & spreading smoke. These residential houses are now being converted into Auto Showrooms & Maintenance Centres, thus, parking their commercial vehicles on main passage & in front of houses, causing road block & traffic congestion.

“The outside vehicles are also using now colony roads for reaching Karam Pura Commercial Complex instead of main passage road, which is resulting into massive traffic jams, earlier all vehicles were taking the road adjacent to Fire Brigade & HIL Colony.

“To curb this traffic mess, I take this liberty to suggest following steps:
1. Restrict entry of outside vehicles by placing barriers & gates at all entry points.
2. Restrict auto dealers & auto service centres, not to use colony roads for any kind of repair, maintenance & test drive of autos.
3. Allow only one entry point for vehicles going to commercial complex through Milan Cinema road.”

I think the suggestions are good and can be easily implemented. These roadside automobile mechanics inside colonies are a real menace. I have forwarded the suggestions to the concerned authority. I hope they implement it soon.

Monday, July 25, 2005

B.S. Sodhi sent me a fax after reading my previous column on Kanwariyas. He is miffed by the fact that Kanwariyas are given priority on Delhi roads. He says, “It is high time that a PIL is filed in Supreme Court for all the inconvenience they (All other such “religious” activities) cause and the hooliganism perpetrated on the public. Imagine Delhi-Hardwar highway being closed for traffic. Highways are the arteries of the nation.”

I agree with you. This time too the Delhi-Hardwar National Highway is closed to vehicular traffic from Monday till August 3 to ensure smooth movement of Kanwariyas. According to a news agency report, Vehicular traffic plying from Delhi to Dehradun, Rishikesh and Hardwar has been diverted to alternative routes from Monday.

I think what best can be done is to make a kind of makeshift parallel route for them. At least keep the national highways open for vehicular traffic. Instead they can use the alternate routes for Kanwariyas. However, this won’t happen, as people want to take political mileage out of it. Moreover, when religious matters come, nobody wants to poke their fingers in it. Only our courts can do such an act of bravery.

Meanwhile, Sodhi also writes that, “Your photographers show only the vehicles violating traffic rules, jumping road dividers but never their number plates. It will make it easy for traffic police to prosecute them. Why can’t the road dividers be made taller, let’s say at least two feet high making them impossible to cross over.”

Actually our photographers try their best to get the number plates also but sometimes action happens so fast that they miss it. The fact that they shoot such pictures is a big thing as these things happen instantaneously.

Sunday, July 24, 2005

I received a mail from Arjun Sahgal who writes, “I am running a departmental store by the name of THE EXCHANGE STORES in the Civil Lines area of north Delhi. There is a major traffic problem in this area adjoining the Civil Lines Metro station. The parking in front of the building has been acquired by metro for a bus stop. Due to this the cars coming to our stores have to park on the main road. The Delhi Traffic Police cranes just tow away the vehicles without considering the problem.

“On top of this a NO-PARKING board has been erected due to which people are in constant fear of their cars being towed away. I would request the Delhi Traffic Police not to enforce the NO-PARKING zone in this area, as there is also a PNB branch in this building, which people frequent regularly. A solution has to be found to the problem instead of the vehicles being unnecessarily towed away and people having to cough out their hard-earned money for no fault of theirs. The Traffic Police must co-ordinate with the concerned authorities and look into the matter at the earliest.”

I had previously also received a complaint regarding this from a bank account holder whose car was towed away three times. Well, I spoke to HPS Virk, DCP (Traffic/North Range) and he said, “After the Metro, the traffic pattern of the area has changed so visitors to the market should now park their vehicles in the nearest available parking space.”

Frankly speaking one cannot expect to enjoy the benefits of old times and new. With changing time one has to adapt new conditions and get used to it. It’s just that initially one would face inconvenience, after one gets used to it, then it becomes a routine affair.

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

The season of Kanwariyas is here so Delhi drivers should pull their socks up and learn to drive slow and cautiously now for the next 15 days starting from July 22. The Kanwariyas carrying holy water from the Ganges in Haridwar walk to their respective villages in hordes continuously from Purnima to Amavasya, which is on July 5. So you need to be extremely careful while driving on certain routes.

Usually they enter from Apsara border and through Shahadara, they walk straight towards ISBT and through Boulevard road they take Rani Jhansi Marg and then through Ridge Road they enter NH8. For Kanwariyas going towars Karnal, they turn right towards Wazirabad and then through GT Karnal Road they leave Delhi. The third route is for Kanwariyas going towards Faridabad. They usually take the Ring Road and then take a left from Ashram and go towards Badarpur Border. For Kanwariyas going towards Rohtak, they breakway from New Rohtak Road in Karol Bagh and then go towards Tigri border through the Rohtak Road.

On all three routes the most vital intersection for them is the Dhaula Kuan intersection. With the opening of the grade separator and free flowing traffic there, this year it will be little bit difficult for Kanwariyas here. So all of you passing through Dhaula Kuan should take extra care while passing through it during this time. The traffic police wanted to change their route this year, as they never wanted Kanwariyas to pass through the busy Dhaula Kuan grade separator, sadly the Kanwariya committee has refused pay heed to their advise.

So I again warn you guys to be careful on road, because the crowd turns unruly if there’s a collision between a vehicle and a Kanwariya. There have been few instances in the past where they overturned cars that touched a Kanwariya. These instances are common on the New Rohtak Road so west-bound traffic, Beware!

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Karan Aggarwal mailed me talking about a parking problem opposite his house. He writes, “Since the last six-seven months we the residents of D-block, East of Kailash are facing problems due to commercial and private vehicles like cars, truck, water tankers, etc. parking illegally opposite our houses. Also there are more than 10 vehicles parked on the pavement where the pedestrians have to walk. Due to parking of vehicles on the two-lane road there is no smooth flow of traffic.

“We have complained a lot of times to the traffic police but no action has been taken as of now. They say they are busy in doing VIP movements in the south Delhi area everyday; some time PM or some time the CM as per the Lajpat Nagar circle zonal officer Mr. Raj Singh. PM and CM do not use our road therefore police does not seem to take any action in the area. They are only for VIP not for the public. I would request to you if you could help us in getting the vehicles removed from the area and help in making the pavement a walking space not illegal parking space.”

I have used the above-mentioned road for about three years when I was staying in that area. First of all from my experience traffic isn’t that heavy on this road. Actually there are lot of official complexes in the area and people working here are short of space to park their vehicles. So they have no option but to get down and park their cars on the above-mentioned stretch. Moreover, there is lot of space to park there and from the pictures you have sent me, even after the vehicles parked there, pedestrians won’t face any problem. Apart from this, that pedestrian path is just for namesake. The authorities didn’t have pedestrians in mind when they made this as the electric poles rather than cars block their way.

As good and considerate Delhiites, we should now start adjusting to situations. Until and unless these guys create a nuisance value in your area by drinking inside the car, etc. I think you should also co-operate. If these guys park in front of your houses or your driveway, then they can be penalised and then your objection is valid but if the institute whose boundary we can see has no objections, then what’s the problem?

There’s crunch for parking space throughout the city. So the best mantra is adjust to the conditions and be considerate. It will only grow worse in future!

Monday, July 18, 2005

DMRC’s yellow line has brought in a revolution of all sorts in Delhi. Never in my life had I seen Connaught Place so full of life on a Sunday evening and that too when most of the shops are closed. The metro rail has put life back in Delhi’s heart Connaught Place and Delhi University’s Mall Road. Normally Mall Road on a Sunday evening used to be too dull with few students of Mansarovar hostel of International Students Home frequenting roadside chai shops to drink tea in the evening. But now dramatic changes have happened due to Metro. The Delhi University metro station is so crowded as if a Diwali Mela is in progress.

Roadside hawkers are new addition to this place. The cycle rickshaws on Sundays in this area were too difficult to find but now they are aplenty here. Life I thing for North campus area has changed drastically.

I went with a childhood friend to Delhi University in Metro on Sunday. My friend is a software engineer and has used Metro rail in Beijing, Korea and New York. He was stunned to see Delhi’s metro. According to him the coaches are the best. “Korean coaches are nowhere in comparison to Delhi’s”, was his statement. He just recently shifted from Bangalore and now he feels that it is for good that he got transferred here. Earlier he used to whine that he couldn’t ride a bicycle in Delhi as he used to do it in Bangalore and has all praises for the city. However, now he has started loving Delhi as he feels that it is catching up with the other big cities of the world.

P.S.: I would advise the DMRC to open more counters for selling tickets, etc. in Connaught Place as it was so crowded that it took me 25 minutes to reach the platform after entering CP metro station.

Sunday, July 17, 2005

Rakesh Virwar wrote to me about the controversial topic of speed limit in Delhi, the much-debated topic, which cropped up last year but nothing as such happened. He says, “We all know that Speed limit for light vehicles is 50 KMPH and for heavy vehicles 40 KMPH. But over the period of time Delhi Roads have seen mammoth change and the general speed of traffic has increased.

“Many times you have to drive at speeds higher than limits just to keep pace with the traffic. Else people going at lower speed become a hindrance to the traffic.

“I was recently challaned for driving at 60 KMPH on Gurgaon - Dwarka, so were other unlucky drivers. While the lucky ones escaped, as the policemen could not manage to stop all. Only this time I was unlucky, I have been seeing many others being unlucky when the Police place their Speed measuring units just before a curve and place barricade just a hundreds meter. Since the general traffic is at high speed everybody falls into the trap.

“This is an easy way for Traffic police to meet their challan targets. But when would the government wake up and allow us to legally drive at speeds that are safe and suffice to traffic requirements. Even the highways displays the Speed Limits of 50/40 but we all must have hit 80 - 100 on good stretches.

“Anupam would be great if you can look at what's the legal back ground on this and how can we generate a public support for higher speeds for good roads. I am conscious of dangers of high speeds but 60/70 speed is not that dangerous and with improved quality of motors hitting Indian roads they are easily manageable.”

Even I felt the same when I was once challaned for driving at a speed of 62 kmph on the Ring Road and one of my colleague challaned for driving 72 kmph at the Ridge Road and that too on a descend.

After these two challans, I make sure to drive at 50 kmph, but then people behind me make it sure not to let me drive in peace. They keep on honking and after they have overtaken me, they even don’t resist shouting expletives. Driving within the speed limits in an empty road certainly draws everybody’s ire. But still I feel on the main arterial roads, the speed limits should be 50 kmph only. As even if one is caught driving at 55kmph, the cops let you go. Above 55 kph is a problem.

But definitely in the Ring Road, which now is to a lot of extent a signal free road, the speed limit should be raised to 65kmph otherwise there’s no point in making a signal-free road. The purpose itself will get defeated.

Regarding the highways, one just notices the signage, which shows the speed limit of vehicles but there are signages on the highways where there’s another signage, which tells you that the speed limit ends. So next time you hit the highways, check that sign board too!

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

The city is in a deluge and I one can see the traffic snarls on the road while its raining. Moreover, every time rain lashes the city, one comes to know that the drains are choked, as water logging is a common site in Delhi and a cause for massive traffic jams. The worst affected are the auto-rickshaws and two-wheeler guys during rainy season. So when it rains, it’s always better to be a couch-potato, rather going out.

For those who still have the guts to venture out on roads, here’s a check list before you hit the roads.

* Drive at speeds appropriate for conditions.
* Use extra care as you travel during rain.
* Since the road becomes slippery when it rains, allow extra distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead.
* Refrain from travelling too close to large vehicles to avoid the water spray of their tyres.
* Make sure the lights and wipers on your vehicle are working properly.
* Use your inside defrosters to keep windows clear. If you don't have defrosters, you can switch on your AC or roll down bit of windows.
* If you cross a water patch, it will affect your brakes. So when you feel that brakes are slipping, press the brake pedal for sometime even when you are driving.
* And while crossing a waterlogged patch, just make sure you use a heavy gear and drive at a constant speed.

Another important factor during rains is being seen or noticed on road for both pedestrians as well as vehicle drivers.

If you aren't easily visible to others it creates all sorts of safety problems, which can put your life and others at risk. For instance, vehicles are more likely to pull out in front of you or turn right across your path at intersections.

Pedestrians, particularly those with failing or poor eyesight, are more likely to step into your path. Torrential rain creates a fog like environment, which can make any vehicle virtually invisible. Think carefully about how visible you are to others and follow these simple tips, which could save your life:

> BE SEEN - use your dipped headlights to make your car more visible to others (even in daylight they improve your safety).
> Keep your lights and indicators clean and in good working condition at all times.
> Make sure that your windscreen and windows are clean and clear, and that your washer systems have water in them.
> Reduce speed in bad weather or when visibility is poor.
>Watch out for pedestrians who may not have seen you.
Stay safe, and above all be careful, courteous, and considerate when using the roads.

Sunday, July 10, 2005

My licence is about to expire now and since I am unable to go back to Shimla to renew it so I decided to make my driving licence from Delhi itself. However, I was a bit jittery going to the authority and getting my work done. As all my fourth estate fraternity guys, I too decided to pull strings and get my licence as going by normal procedures meant that I would waste the entire day running helter skelter from one window to another before ending up getting a learner’s licence.

Well if the word ‘learner’ is itching you, then according to the rule, if applying for a fresh driving licence, one must possess a learner’s licence for at least a month before one gets a permanent driving licence. However, I was uneasy going there as about a-year-and-half back I went to transport authority Janakpuri and I had narrated that incident in two columns of road show and I had decided that never in my life I would go to a transport authority. The only positive thing at Janakpuri TA was the Motor Licensing Officer of Janakpuri S.K. Mishra who was such a docile guy and heeded to everybody’s request and listened everybody patiently. Normally any other guy would become cranky if he had been sitting in his seat for even seven days.

Well, those were the days when touts used to operate openly. However, the reform that was started by former Transport Commissioner Rajeev Talwar and Joint Commissioner P.R. Meena in different transport authorities cleaned up the messy touts within the compound. Well, I thought this was the best time to go and check it whether even after a year the touts were missing. So I went to Sarai Kale Khan Transport Authority and to my surprise it looked like a desolate place and everything was in order. I took the forms from the window and started filling up. Only bad thing was that I didn’t carry photographs, photocopies of documents, etc. thinking that it will be available in the compound itself, as it was freely available in Janakpuri. They too were missing there. Finally I had to rush outside to get photocopies and photographs clicked. Only outside the gate I bumped into a tout and that too he offered me to get the photographs clicked and get my medical certificate done and photocopies attested. Well, I didn’t take up the offer as I was convinced that my work would be over soon as there were few people and everything was in order, although just 20 minutes were left for the window to be closed. The window shuts at 12.30 pm.

The only bad thing there was that the enquiry window had shut down much before 12.30 pm and I didn’t know which window to go. However, an official sitting on one of the empty window was courteous enough to guide me towards the room at the end of the building, which was a one-stop shop for all who wanted a learner’s licence. At Janakpuri one had to hop from one room to another for different things. But it was totally a different story here. Even the cashier sitting in the counter was courteous and guiding each and every individual who had some problems with their application. Thus getting a learner’s licence was just like a cakewalk for me.

Even the Motor Vehicle Inspector Javed Khan (MVI) was very strict. There was an applicant who was accompanied by an escort. I presumed that he was a tout who was acting like a guide to the applicant. When he tried to help the applicant in the test, Khan just cancelled his test and asked him to leave the room. Well, this no-nonsense attitude goes well with the public also.

Another important thing that I noticed here was the behaviour of the staff, which was extremely polite and courteous. I don’t know about other transport authorities, but wish they too were like this only.

Thursday, July 07, 2005

Well, on last Thursday I wrote about my driving experiences in Delhi. I had left the column in between. So here’s the second part of my column describing my two-and-a-half kilometre long ride to office from old Rajinder Nagar to Jhandewalan Extension. This is a journey which I hate. Simply because of the ongoing DMRC’s Line 3 construction. It’s not that due to the construction there are jams, but the same old problem that even Rohini residents faced.

Actually what has happened is DMRC has repaired only one-and-a-half lane of the entire carriageway below the elevated corridor. Which means that all along the Line 3 route, the Metro has repaired only that portion of the road which is below the elevated corridor. The other half of the carriageway is crying for attention from the concerned civic agency to repair the road as that portion of the road isn’t under DMRC. Thus it remains untouched although during the construction of the elevated corridor, even those portions were damaged.

So what commuters have got is a half-baked road, at least till Shadipur Depot from Punchkuian Road. I don’t about the rest till Dwarka. But what has happened now is everybody on the road wants to travel on this repaired portion of the road. Right from blueline buses, two-wheeler riders and worse, the autorickshaw drivers. None wants to travel on the left-most lane. Because of this new phenomenon, the car drivers, who generally are the kings of rightmost lane (fast lane), end up being frustrated drivers and resorting to taking the bumpy ride on the bus lane.

It is a torture to drive cars on Punchkuian Road, Link Road, Pusa Road and Patel Nagar Road these days. I remember Rohini and Pitampura residents faced the same problem when Line 1 was being made. I just wish DMRC with the concerned civic agency should launch a concerted effort in restoring the damaged road together. And not shying away from other portion of the road which doesn’t come under their purview. I hope now you know that why I don’t like the journey from my present home to office. It’s just frustrating. Now I am just waiting for the Line 3 (Barakhamba-Dwarka) to start so that I can be a proud commuter of Nation’s envy and Delhi’s Pride.

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Harvinder Singh is peeved by the way authorities are not taking care of the Pankha Road, which is a vital link between Janakpuri, Uttamnagar, Dwarka and other areas to Dhaula Kuan. He says, “Although DDA has made the flyover on Pankha Road above the railway lines but none is bothered to improve the condition of Pankha Road. I stay in Janakpuri and everyday I face problems in reaching my office at Connaught Place.

Although the new flyover has given us a breather but the authorities should have ensured in repairing at least the approach road. Half of Pankha road is full of mud due to the rainy season. This portion of the road is not metalled at all. As soon as one reaches Sagarpur, buses keep on standing there blocking the way of cars. There’s total chaos at this place during morning peak hours.

“In morning one wants to reach office with a fresh mind, but due to traffic snarls at this place, once energy levels just goes down in the morning itself. The road space available is so less that only one bus can move properly on the road, which if repaired properly is as wide as the Ring Road. If some vehicle develops a snag then there’s a huge traffic jam in the morning. Another problem is of stray cattle that just come in front of cars from out of the blues. It’s not that traffic cops are not aware of the problem, but they don’t do anything about it.

“There are lots of fruit vendors who have encroached land on the road. Due to them one lane has totally become unusable. Although the authorities has done a good job with the flyover, but it nullifies the effect because of the bad approach road. And why authorities are turning a blind eye to it, I don’t know?”

I spoke to ACP (Traffic/West) S.S. Sandhu who said, “Regarding the bad maintenance of roads, we keep on asking the concerned civic authorities to repair them, but no one cares. We just keep on writing to them and sending reminders. About encroachments, from time to time we keep on taking action against encroachers.”

I have been to that point and experienced the traffic snarls personally. Even the cycle track of Pankha road needs to be taken care of. Although due to consistent pressure by traffic cops, MCD repaired it long time back but again its position has come back to square one. According to Dr C.M. Bhagat, also a Janakpuri resident, “The traffic police should ensure that cyclists should use this cycle track as the number of cyclists on this road is very high. It’s an accident prone zone for cyclists.” Well, it is high time that government needs to have a re look on the condition of this road as Pankha Road is a very important corridor.

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

S.M. Hussain, a regular contributor of this column, had earlier written to me about the problems faced by nearby residents due to the presence of Container depot in Tughlaqabad. Recently, Delhi Traffic Police has enforced new restrictions regarding movement of trailers in the Capital. Well, it’s a welcome move, but Hussain has some problems with it saying, “Recently, the Delhi Traffic Police have enforced restrictions on the movement of trailers carrying loaded/unloaded containers to reduce congestion on roads. From July 1, all trailers coming to Container Depot in Tughlakabad will have to enter and exit only through Badarpur Border and will not be permitted to enter Delhi from other borders-Singhu, Tikri, Kapashera, Ghazipur and Kalindi Kunj.

“I have already written in these columns about traffic congestion and other difficulties faced by the residents in the colonies located near the Container Depot. The worst affected are Suraj Apartments, Lal Kuan, Pul Pehladpur, Charmwood (Eros Garden), Railway Colony and the traffic on Mehrauli-Badarpur Road. Since the Depot does not have much space, these containers are parked on the main M.B. Road, occupying 2/3rd of the road, leaving just one carriageway.

“Moreover, the containers are parked in a very haphazard manner, some of them even carrying protruding iron-rods in a very precarious manner. In spite of a number of accidents and altercations, no action has been taken by Delhi Police to remove these containers. Of late, Container Depot has taken over all available space in the nearby areas like parks, Tughlak Fort and also the stretch linking Okhla Industrial Area with M.B. Road to park containers.

“One wonders, how Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has allowed these containers to encroach upon the protected historical Tughlak fort. These containers have become eye sore in front of the majestic Fort. It takes a minimum of one hour to cross a distance of few kilometres from Tughlakabad to Badarpur Border during peak hours if one has not met with an accident. Already people in these areas are living in fear of perennial traffic congestion. They are wondering what would happen from July 1, when all trailers coming to Container Depot in Tughlakabad will have to enter and exit only through Badarpur Border.

“This move will not only congest the whole area from Badarpur Border to Batra Hospital. Badarpur Border is notorious for its traffic jams. The recent order of the Delhi Traffic Police will affect even the traffic on Mathura Road. There will be serpentine traffic jams from Badarpur to Sarita Vihar. The only solution to solve this containers menace is to shift the Container Depot to Dadri Depot since it has been upgraded with all infrastructural facilities for customs and cargo and office of transporters.”

I don’t know whether situation will be as grave as you apprehend as only the trailers coming from north India are allowed to come to Tuglakabad. Rest have to go to Dadri depot. Regarding the trailers stationed on Mehrauli-Badarpur road, yes I agree, it’s a menace for all. But let us wait and watch. Maybe the volume of trailers entering Delhi will reduce and situation gets better, because this decision of Delhi Traffic Police is a well thought one.

Monday, July 04, 2005

Well, on Thursday I wrote about my driving experiences in Delhi. I had left the column in between. So here’s the second part of my column describing my two-and-a-half kilometre long ride to office from old Rajinder Nagar to Jhandewalan Extension. Well, this is a journey which I hate. Simply because of the ongoing DMRC’s Line 3 construction. It’s not that due to the construction there are jams, but the same old problem that even Rohini residents faced.
Actually what has happened is the DMRC has repaired only one-and-a-half lane of the entire carriageway of the elevated corridor. Which means that all along the Line 3 route, the Metro has repaired only that portion of the road which is below the elevated corridor. The other half of the carriageway is waiting for attention from the concerned civic agency to repair the road as that portion of the road wasn’t under DMRC thus remains untouched although during the construction of the elevated corridor, even those portions were damaged.
So what commuters have got is a half-baked road, at least till Shadipur Depot from Punchkuian Road. I don’t about the rest till Dwarka. But what has happened now is everybody on the road wants to travel on this repaired portion of the road. Right from blueline buses, two-wheeler riders and worse the autorickshaw drivers. None wants to travel on the left-most lane. Because of this new phenomenon, the car drivers, who generally are the kings of rightmost lane (fast lane), end up being frustrated drivers and resorting to taking the bus lane.
It is nearly a torture to drive cars on Punchkuian Road, Link Road, Pusa Road and Patel Nagar Road these days. I remember Rohini and Pitampura residents faced the same problem when Line 1 was being made. I just wish DMRC with the concerned civic agency should launch a concerted effort in restoring the damaged road together. And not shying away from other portion of the road which doesn’t come under their purview. I hope now you know that why I don’t like the journey from my present home to office. It’s just frustrating. Now I am just waiting for the Line 3 (Barakhamba-Dwarka) to start so that I can be a proud commuter of Nation’s envy and Delhi’s Pride.