The Hindu : New Delhi News : Master Plan suggests relief roads to decongest Delhi

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Saturday, Jan 08, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Master Plan suggests relief roads to decongest Delhi

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JAN. 7. While spelling out the broad parameters for development in the Capital, the Draft Master Plan for Delhi 2021 has also suggested some specific solutions like construction of Urban Relief Roads, underground roads, grade separators and freeways for reducing the congestion in the city and making it more liveable. However, most of the suggestions have been made without any detailed study and most of the recommendations are repeats of what had been stated in the draft policy paper issued about a year ago.

On an indicative basis, the Draft Master Plan has suggested 10 priority stretches for Urban Relief Roads. For Shankar Road, a 105 feet right of way (ROW) has been proposed through an alternative elevated road. Likewise, Vikas Marg has been suggested for taking up of development work. For traffic coming from East Delhi, an extension of NH-24 has been suggested to join Mathura Road near Humayun's Tomb.

The plan also recommends a link from Prem Bari Pul in Pitampura to Outer Ring Road along the disused Western Yamuna Canal and extension of a road between Nehru Place and Hotel Park Royal up to Lotus Temple and towards East of Kailash.

Along with taking up of work at Badarpur border entry point, the plan also suggests an alternative alignment for Rohtak Road in Karol Bagh by extending Arya Samaj Road through Anand Parbat to connect the existing roads leading to Patel Road and Shivaji Marg.

The plan also talks about having more bridges over the Yamuna at Geeta Colony and Mayur Vihar and across drains passing through Lajpat Nagar, Defence Colony, Sarai Kale Khan and Lodhi Road. A rail overhead bridge or an underbridge has also been suggested from the junction of Mathura Road and Road No. 13-A in Sarita Vihar to Okhla Industrial Area.

The plan also talks about having underground roads or tube roads in critical areas such as Connaught Place, Chandni Chowk and Karol Bagh. To begin with, a proposal for such roads and underground parking has been made for Chandni Chowk which will connect the commercial hub to the Ring Road. Similarly, underground roads have been advised at ITO, Connaught Place and Rajendra Nagar for facilitating east-west and north-south movement.

The draft plan also space reservation for provision of grade separators, clover leaves and left slip roads at intersections of all roads having 30 metre ROW or more. Finally, freeways or divided arterial highways for motor traffic with full access control and grade separation at intersections have been suggested.

Though with a network of freeways, highways, mass rapid transport system and integrated rail-bus transit system, the plan proposes to have a two to three hour movement network to cover the entire National Capital Region, the plan hopes that such measures would encourage people having employment in Delhi to live in NCR towns. But with little sincere effort being put to realise such goals, the plan still appears a distant dream.

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