The Hindu : New Delhi News : Chaos reigns supreme at Akshardham Setu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 20, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Chaos reigns supreme at Akshardham Setu

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JAN. 19. Despite having been designed to possess four clover leaves which would have made traffic flow around it completely signal free, the Akshardham Setu flyover at Noida Mor will have to make do with just one for the time being as the planners -- first the Delhi Development Authority and now the Public Works Department -- are yet to decide on making the remaining three clover leaves despite this NH 24-Noida Link Road intersection witnessing regular traffic snarls.

The Project Manager of Flyover Group 2 of DDA, Shekhar Dey, said the flyover has a futuristic approach as it has been designed to take care of the traffic needs of the future as well.

However, as of now only one clover leaf has been constructed by the Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation which is now being use by vehicles coming down NH 24 from the Yamuna side and heading for Noida.

As for the remaining three, the official said, they are also expected to be constructed soon as the Commonwealth Games Village is due to come up near the site and preparations are getting underway for the sporting event in 2010. But for the time being the traffic situation is not likely to show any improvement as the three clover leaves -- for which land has also been acquired -- do not find any place in the books of the planners.

Though DDA had recently handed over the flyover to the Public Works Department, the move too is not likely to impact the construction of the new clover leaves in any way as nobody is inclined at making these structures which cost about Rs 2 crores each but hold the key towards segregating the traffic completely and thereby reducing congestion.

Meanwhile, though the opening of the new rail overhead bridge on the Noida Link Road has provided a quick access to ITO for vehicles coming from Noida and Mayur Vihar I, as also for vehicles coming from the Ghaziabad side on NH 24, on the return trip, the absence of a slip road at Akshardham Setu has become a major cause of chaos at the flyover.

With no left turn available, vehicles bound for Ghaziabad are forced to travel all the way up to Mayur Vihar I before taking a U-turn to return to the NH 24-Noida Link Road intersection beneath the flyover. Mr Dey said the problem would be resolved when the slip road becomes operational on February 28. However, till then, the motorists bound for Mayur Vihar II or Ghaziabad would do well to avoid this route.

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