The Director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Monday presented a report on the Feasibility study for operation of trams on Chandni Chowk Road to Delhi lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung.
The study involves examining the volume of traffic, parking issues, pedestrian count with a view to decongest Chandni Chowk and its precincts. The proposed tram line is expected to be 4.5 km in length, which will run in a loop in the Chandni Chowk area. It will take approximately 15 minutes to complete the entire length and is expected to carry 200 passengers across two coaches. The expected interval between two trams is likely to be two minutes.
“The tram line is expected to provide integrated movement between the tram stops and the Old Delhi Railway Station and it is expected that altogether there shall be stops at a distance of 250 metres to 0.5 km depending on the stretch where the tram is running,” said a Delhi Government official. It is expected that the ridership of the proposed tram will be one lakh people.
The tram project is part of the Shahjehanabad Redevelopment Project, which seeks to restart trams along with non-motorised vehicles at Chandni Chowk and its neighbouring areas. From 1908 to 1963, trams chugged amidst tongas, cycle-rickshaws and bicycles in Old Delhi, but will the old charm be able to provide a safe commute and reduce vehicular population is something that experts need to look at. Thanks to the Delhi Metro, footfall at Chandni Chowk and other neighbouring markets has increased 60-70 per cent in the past few years. With another Metro station slated to open near Red Fort crossing by this yearend, traders fear there would no space left for people to move on streets. The trams will run between 8am and 8pm. The project envisage a tram station every 300-350 metres.
Jung directed the Commissioner (North DMC) to complete the work on Dangal Maidan and upgrade the existing Gandhi Maidan parking. The Public Works Department (PWD) looking after the widening and improvement of footpaths, ornamental grills, underground RCC ducts, re-carpeting of carriage ways, ornamental Mughal era poles and contemporary lights, basement for transformers and construction of toilets as a part of development of Chandni Chowk.
Secretary (PWD) reported about the progress on putting services under the ground on the carriageways in Chandni Chowk and informed that to speed up the ongoing work, traffic has been diverted and re routed so that one carriage way is available to the PWD for uninterrupted work. The work is currently going on the carriage way from Red Fort to Fatehpuri Masjid where the utilities are being relocated under the surface. The work of Redevelopment of Chandni Chowk Road was entrusted to PWD in Feb 2013. In the 1st Phase PWD has taken up the work of providing and laying underground RCC ducts for laying cables of BSES, MTNl etc through ducts. While reviewing the presentations, Jung stressed the importance of Chandni Chowk and asked all concerned to ensure time-bound completion of work in the area.