Police has identified 134 congestion points in the city

Encroachment on roadside, construction work by different agencies, heavy volume of traffic on narrower roads, paucity of parking spaces, and broken roads -these are some of the reasons that have been causing jams in a total of 134 traffic congestion points of the national Capital according to a list shared by the Delhi Traffic Police to the Secretary of Ministry of Home and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

This list, accessed exclusively by The Pioneer, consisting of areas which was shared by the Delhi Traffic Police to the ministry in a high level meeting convened recently included 23 such points in the Northern range of the city, 20 in Central, 20 in Eastern range, 33 in Southern, nine in New Delhi range, and 29 in Western.

In the reasons for congestion, cited by the traffic police department in their report to the MoHUA, encroachment on the roadside was listed as the top cause of traffic jams in the Northern range of Delhi. This area includes Kingsway Camp to Hakikat Nagar, H-Point in Azadpur to Rana Pratap Bagh, Mukarba Chowk to Jahangirpuri Metro Station, Azadpur Chowk flyover, Mukarba Chowk flyover, Sanjay Gandhi Nagar to Metro Station Samaypur Badli, Swami Swroopanand Marg from Ramdev Chowk to Y-Point Narela and Bawana Chowk to Kanjhawala T- Point.

“In the Central range, the encroachment by local vendors and hawkers in roads those including from New Delhi Railway Station to Ajmeri Gate Chowk, Netaji Subhash Marg (Delhi Gate to Nukkad Faiz Bazar), Shadipur Chowk and R/A Bagga. Other areas marred with similar problems also include Uttam Nagar Chowk in Najafgarh Road and Sagar Pur in Pankha Road,” a traffic policeman stated.

Moreover, construction works by different government agencies including Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and Public Works Department has also resulted in the curtaining of the movement of vehicles. Take Mehrauli Badarpur road from Sainik Farm to IGNOU cut for example where the metro work has severely impacted the roads with all kinds of vehicles including DTC buses, cars and bikes moving from a very narrow lane, creating persistent congestions.

He added, “DMRC work has also impacted traffic movement in Madhuban Chowk to Power House in Outer Ring Road, Pul Bangash to Roshanara road, Sadar Bazar to Qutub Road, Bhajanpura, IGNOU Road (IGNOU cut to Z-more), Khanpur T Point, Hamdard T Point and Pul Prahladpur Red Light to Lal Kuan Red Light on MB Road, Bhera Enclave in Outer Ring Road.”

Construction work of Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System RRTS has also created congestion points in ISBT Anand Vihar, Kondli bridge and Sarai Kale Khan. Due to ongoing construction of Urban Extension Road-II (UER II) or NH-344M, congestion is also created on Barwala Red Light to Barwala Village and Khampur Red Light to Bakoli.

The traffic police also shared that since some points have narrower roads as compared to the flow of traffic, roads such as Pili Kothi (SPM Marg), Khoya Mandi (Boulevard Road), Red Fort (N S Marg), Kondli Bridge, Aurobindo Marg (Adhchini Village), Shivalik Road (Under Panchsheel Flyover) and Press Enclave Road (Malviya Nagar Metro to Khirki Village) face jams.

Across Delhi, illegal parking on the roadsides, which is also caused by the inadequacy of  parking spaces, causes massive traffic jams in busy areas such as in the Murga Mandi, B.P Marg (Kotla red light to Andrewj Gunj signal) and Guru Ravi Dass Marg Vikas Marg (Laxmi Nagar to Karkari Mod).

A senior traffic official stated that they are working on solutions for these problems. “For example, when it comes to encroachment, we will carry out a drive soon. However, you can also register your complaint on Delhi Development Authority’s Special Task Force (STF) website and the authorities will take appropriate actions.” Moreover, he added that for the problem that arises due to narrow roads, the department has written to the Public Works Department and work on the same should begin soon.