More than a week after the Delhi Traffic Police held a meeting with lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal where the proposal to identify congested roads and discussions on the progress of the four corridors on the Ring Road and the Outer Ring Road were carried out at length, The Pioneer on Monday visited the Benito Jaurez Marg, one of the stretches identified by the Delhi Traffic Police where an underpass is under construction to ease traffic snarls.
Chaos prevails on the Benito Jaurez Marg as slow speed of construction work of the underpass opposite the Satya Niketan Market has left behind debris causing lack of parking space and trouble to college goers.
Worst hit is the Sri Venkasteswara College road stretching from the South Campus College till Atma Ram Sanatan Dharam College that is also a hotspot among students of the South Campus colleges of Delhi University. Moreover, Satya Niketan market lined up with several cafes and stationery shops too is feeling the heat.
Sunil, owner of the famous Kev’s café, a popular Maggi point among students, told The Pioneer that the construction has been going on for more than a year. “All the shops face the problem of car parking as major part of the road has been dug up for construction. Before work started here, the market used to be full of customers, but not anymore. We are the worst hit as our daily earnings have come down drastically.”
Kamali, a first year Sociology (Hons) student of Sri Venkateswara College, said, “I live in Naraina and earlier it used to take me 15 minutes to reach the college. Now, it takes me nearly 30 minutes to come to the college as the road from Moti Bagh Nanakpura heading towards South Campus has been closed due to the underpass construction. I have to go all around the Dhaula Kaun stretch.”
She said, “I often take a cab so parking is not an issue for me. However, for my friends who drive to college, it is an arduous task.”
Before the beginning of the construction of the underpass, there was an auto-rickshaw stand which used to ferry college students from near the Satya Niketan bus stand till the South Campus and further to Ram lal Anand and Motilal Nehru College. But it is gone now.
Amritpal, an auto-driver said, “It is a headache now to cross this road (Benito Jaurez Marg). Earlier, we used to ferry the students. Now we have to take a longer route to reach the South Campus and other colleges. The decision to build the underpass maybe a great move in the near future but it has definitely caused trouble for the common man.”
Meanwhile, Ajay Kashyap, Special CP (Traffic) said the plan to de-congest this is being carried out for the benefit of the commuters in the long run.