The Delhi Traffic Police (DTP) has opposed construction of Non-Motorised Vehicle (NMV) lanes for cycle rickshaws in Chandni Chowk saying that the work on the existing carriageways will further aggravate traffic congestion in the area.
Traffic Police made submissions regarding the issue on Monday through an affidavit in the High Court after a meeting with the Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC) and Special Task Force (STF) on the issue of minimising congestion and providing access to all classes of vehicles.
Expressing annoyance over the affidavit filed by the Traffic Police, the division bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and S Muralidhar summoned the ACP Traffic (North) saying, “The court has been monitoring this issue of constructing lanes for cycle rickshaws on arterial roads since the last three years. This affidavit means we have to discuss the issue again from the scratch” and listed the matter for October 4.
The affidavit, also said that NMV lanes may be constructed on arterial roads but without reducing the width of the existing carriageways.
Issuing summons to the ACP, Traffic (North), for resistance to construct NMV lanes, the bench referred to its previous orders directing construction of NMV lanes and pulled up the Traffic Police saying, “You have not read our previous orders of February, April and May on the construction of NMV lanes. Please see them.”
On the May 24 order of the court, a meeting was convened by the lieutenant-Governor with STF, UTTIPEC and the DCP of Traffic Police to discuss the issues of NMV lanes and decongestion of Chandni Chowk. The court had also set aside the order of the l-G, which banned plying of cycle rickshaws on arterial roads.
Since 2010, the High Court has been monitoring the scheme for minimising congestion, reducing pollution levels of motor vehicles and providing access to all classes of vehicles on roads.
A Special Task Force, comprising experts from the Government, traffic, urban planning and police had been set up to review road traffic issues in the Capital.
The NGO Manushi had also filed a writ petition with regard to the plying of rickshaws in the Capital and has been assisting the court in the monitoring process.