2010 games: Comprehensive plan mapping to ensure smooth traffic

Sunday, May 24, 2009
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

With over 60 lakh vehicles jostling for space on the capital's congested roads every day, ensuring free movement of traffic during a sporting extravaganza of the magnitude of Commonwealth Games in October next year can prove to be an uphill task. But the traffic police are drawing up a comprehensive plan mapping out the movement of each category of people in the city, to ensure there are no bottlenecks.

For starters, the extreme right lane on all roads leading to the Games Village in East Delhi, 11 Games venues and airport will be reserved for Games traffic. The lane will be painted and marked `Games Lane' at regular intervals so that it is easily identifiable. Other vehicles entering the lane will be heavily prosecuted and only labelled vehicles will be allowed to use the passage.

For better enforcement, this entire road network will be Intelligent Traffic Signals (ITS) enabled. These automated signals assess the volume of traffic in an identified area and adjust the signal cycles at intersections accordingly. Modern enforcement devices like cameras for challans and VMS boards will also be put up on all the corridors for better enforcement of laws and dissemination of road user information.

With one lane reserved for Games traffic, all the general traffic will be confined to the remaining part of the road. As Delhi's road network is already choked and jams are common during peak hours, this constriction of road space is expected to cause problems. "We are preparing an elaborate plan to keep congestion levels in check since the existing roads are not even enough to cater to city traffic. The general public will be informed about the roads to avoid while the Games are on and important arterial roads used for North-South and East-West access will be kept exclusively for city traffic so that Delhiites can commute around. But people will be encouraged to use public transport as far as possible to keep congestion levels in check,'' said SN Shrivastava, Joint Commissioner of Police (traffic).

Several roads leading upto important venues like Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies will be held, and Games Village will be cordoned off for all traffic. Only labelled vehicles will be allowed to use the road and the traffic police is drawing up alternative routes for general traffic. The cops have also got park-and-ride facilities near all Games venues where people will be able to leave their cars and take shuttle services to the stadiums.

Movement of traffic will also be restricted for busy areas located around the venues. For instance, those working at CGO complex near JLN stadium will not be allowed to drive upto their offices and will have to either take the Metro or park their vehicles at Lodhi Road and avail park-and-ride. At such places, the streets are being beautified with wider footpaths to encourage people to walk or cycle short distances.

All the vehicles on Delhi roads have been divided into three categories normal traffic, Games traffic and VVIP movement. For each of the venues, the exact movement of games and VVIP traffic is being mapped out in detail. So from the route each vehicle will take to reach the venue to entry gate and parking slot, everything will be decided in advance.

Spectators going to watch the events will not be allowed to use the Games lanes. As the rest of the roads are expected to be congested, people will be encouraged to use modes of public transport like Delhi Metro and buses, which would have spread their networks across the city by then. Integrated tickets for Games venues and Delhi Metro also being looked at.

The government is also reportedly planning to schedule holidays on the days of opening and closing ceremonies to bring down traffic volumes. Other events like festivals or fairs which cause a congregation of people in a specific area will not be allowed during the period. Thousands of volunteers are being roped in to guide pedestrians near venues and parking lots. They will not be involved in active traffic management.