Rani Jhansi Grade Separator that was touted as the panacea of all the traffic ills that afflicted central and Northern part of the national Capital is beset with long traffic hold ups. Having taken note of this recurring problem, North Delhi Municipal Corporation top brass on Wednesday convened a meeting with all the stakeholders to discuss the issue. The meeting was called especially to address the issue immediately since frequent traffic snarls are defeating the very purpose of the construction of this much hyped and awaited grade separator.
“The meeting was called after many complaints of traffic jams on both sides of the flyover reported. Traffic jams have become a regular affair from Idgah Circle to Filmistan cinema and St Stephen’s Hospital to Tis Hazari courts on both side of Grade Separator since its inception” a corporation official said.
In order to find an amicable solution to the problem, the meeting was called by Chairperson of Standing Committee Veena Virmani and attended by officials of Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC), Special Commissioner (Traffic), concerned engineers and others. However, no one from
Public Works Department (PWD) attended the meeting despite several request and reminders made, a north corporation official said.
According to an official statement issued by the North Corporation, “It was decided to prepare a short-term plan by PWD and get it approved by UTTIPEC and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi for its immediate implementation. It was also discussed that there exists a wide footpath around the roundabout at Idgah road should be used to widen road”.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Traffic informed that this issue has already been taken up with PWD. Central Verge from Tis Hazari Court to recently constructed grade separator needs to be raised and brought to be at par with the level of the central verge of grade separator so as to prevent the people crossing the road at any point of their choice, the official added.
Illegal parking from Idgah Circle to Filmistan Cinema and from St Stephen’s Hospital to Tis Hazari Court is a major stumbling block. The issue has been shared with the Delhi Traffic Police to take immediate measures to address this issue on priority, the official added.
The ambitious project was inaugurated last month and expected to ease traffic flow between ISBT Kashmere Gate and Karol Bagh areas. The 1.6-km-long flyover from near St Stephen’s Hospital to Filmistaan Cinema delayed for years due to the multiple agencies responsible for removing roadblocks.
