The Hindu : New Delhi News : L-G not impressed with three new flyovers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 27, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

L-G not impressed with three new flyovers

Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

Suggestions to make changes and improve facilities

NEW DELHI: : The Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi, B. L. Joshi, did not appear at all impressed with the three new Delhi Development Authority-constructed flyovers which he inspected on Josip Broz Tito Marg, Gazipur and Seelampur here in the Capital last week and suggested improvements in all of them. As a result of his observations, the Vice-Chairman of DDA, Madhukar Gupta, was compelled to revise and rewrite the official press release prepared by a professional agency on the visit himself so that the remarks were neither ignored nor appeared to be too harsh on the organisation.

The Lieutenant-Governor, who inspected all these flyovers along with Mr Gupta, DDA Member-Engineer, Prabhash Singh, and other senior Authority officials, said "I have proposed some suggestions to these facilities so that the citizens could derive more benefits from them''. Though in a way he did not find the flyovers up to the mark, and even found the location of a subway near the Seelampur flyover quite illogical, he hoped that the organisation would continue to serve the citizens in the best possible way in the times to come.

At the J.B. Tito Marg flyover, which has come up at the intersection of Lala Lajpat Rai Marg, and was opened partially to traffic on November 11, 2004, and fully on January 21, 2005, Mr Joshi suggested that an approach to the subway be created on the elevated portion by constructing a bus bay and staircase for the passengers alighting or boarding the buses to enable them to make full use of the subway. Also, he suggested that the area around the subway be properly paved and landscaped.

Further, he said a proper pedestrian linkage from the bus stops be made to promote the subway and it should be adequately illuminated and a police picket be deployed to generate a feeling of safety for the general public. Mr Joshi also found the bicycle track on the subway too narrow and demanded that it be widened for better utilisation.

Similarly, in the case of the Seelampur flyover too, Mr Joshi found the work not satisfactory and suggested some improvements for its full utilisation. Noting that local residents be involved in decision making for proper location of the subway facilities, he suggested that the cycle track should be widened to make it comfortable for the cyclists.

Mr Joshi also inspected the intersection towards ISBT where traffic congestions still exists and suggested that this intersection should be studied for improvement. He also stated that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi should take up the work of landscaping and development around the subways to facilitate their user by those living or working in the adjoining areas.

This flyover has been constructed at the intersection of G.T. Road and road No. 66 intersection and has come up at an extremely busy intersection in East Delhi which has traffic intensity of about 10,000 passenger car units per hour during the peak hours.

But it was the Gazipur flyover on NH-24 which moved him the most. Mr Joshi said this flyover also needs changes and stressed the need for taking up the matter of construction of a flyover at or over the intersection of NH-24 and NH-58 with the Uttar Pradesh Government. He also pointed out that despite this new flyover, the need for another one exists barely 300 metres away at the intersection of NH-24 and Road No. 56 near Gazipur village.

Mr Joshi also suggested that a bus bay be created on top of this flyover on either side near the staircases for proper dispersal of users from the Gazipur Commercial Complex.

Incidentally, DDA had built the Gazipur Flyover at the intersection of the Gazipur Freight Complex on NH-24 and had opened it for traffic on December 31, 2004.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi

News Update

Stories in this Section