Parking project at Parade Ground hits roadblock

Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi's proposed parking facility at the Parade Ground here to provide a permanent solution to the parking woes of Chandni Chowk has hit a roadblock with the Shri Dharmik Ramlila Committee protesting against the move.The Committee has written to the civic body saying the parking facility would disrupt the Ramlila they hold at the Parade Ground every year. However, the civic body has said that since the parking would be underground it would not disturb any activity at the ground level."We are planning to hold a meeting with the Committee members this week to sort out matters," a senior MCD official said.Traders of the Walled City have also raised objection to the protest by the Ramlila Committee. Chandni Chowk Traders' Association general secretary Sanjay Bhargava said: "Finding parking space in a congested and commercial hub like Chandni Chowk is an uphill task. But finally when the MCD has started groundwork for constructing a parking facility, the Ramlila Committee is opposing it."

The MCD had zeroed in on the Parade Ground after the underground multi-level parking facility to be constructed at Shaheed Park hit a roadblock with the Archaeological Survey of India denying permission to the civic body for the project on the ground that it was within 100 metres of two Centrally-protected monuments, Khooni Darwaza and Ferozeshah Kotla ruins.

Original Article sourced from http://www.thehindu.com/2010/01/26/stories/2010012658980300.htm

Opposition slams govt. for traffic chaos

Tuesday, Jan 12, 2010

 Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly V. K. Malhotra has accused the Delhi Government of failing to come up with an integrated traffic plan for the Capital because of which people were facing jams across the city.

Reacting to an alleged statement of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, the senior BJP leader said it was wrong on the part of Ms. Dikshit to blame the conduct of the people for the traffic chaos. "The statement by the Chief Minister only reflects her inability to solve problems," he added.

Prof. Malhotra said in October 2002 the Delhi Government through the Transport Minister had proposed far reaching improvements in Delhi's transport infrastructure and issued a booklet titled 'Tackling Urban Transport: Operating Plan for Delhi' which promised a series of improvements. "But even after eight years, nothing has happened on the ground," he lamented.

Stating that the much-touted 'Integrated Transport Policy' of the Delhi Government has also not taken off, he said these failures only show that the Sheila Dikshit Government was "not sincere about implementing any of it".

It is a consequence of this failure of the Delhi Government, he said, that people spend hours on the roads every day trying to move through the traffic snarls.

Original news source http://beta.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/article79587.ece

Fate of automated parking lot for HC uncertain

Tuesday, Jan 12, 2010

The fate of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's much-touted fully automated multi-level parking lot for Delhi High Court seems uncertain with NDMC notifying a 15th century heritage monument at the site.

The State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), which had a few months back given in-principle approval to the project, reconsidered its decision recently after the NDMC notified the unnamed tomb in its list of 141 heritage monuments and structures.

"The proposal was reconsidered by the Committee in a recent meeting when members expressed their disatisfaction with the information provided by the project proponent on the status of the unprotected monument located inside the site," a SEAC member told PTI.

The tomb is an architectural value Grade I heritage structure that features in the list of 141 heritage monuments and structures in the NDMC area notified recently.

Original news source http://www.ptinews.com/news/464316_Fate-of-automated-parking-lot-for-HC-uncertain

To ease traffic in CP, NDMC to make new plan

Tuesday, Jan 12, 2010

 With construction work for subways throwing traffic out of gear in Connaught Place over the past fortnight, it was decided on Monday that officials of all the stakeholders will visit the area and make a fresh plan to tackle the situation.

The traffic situation had become nightmarish ever since the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) began digging up the radial roads to make subways, put in ducts and redo the façade of the 75-year-old buildings late last month.

To address the issue and devise solutions, officials from the NDMC, Delhi Traffic Police, the New Delhi Trader's Association (NDTA) met Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna today. It was decided in the meeting that representatives from the civic agency, traffic department and NDTA would visit the area on Tuesday and Wednesday and come up with a proposal to handle the situation. NDMC spokesperson Anand Tiwari told Newsline after the meeting that the solution will be put into practice by the end of this week.

He said separate teams from NDMC, traffic police and NDTA members will visit the affected areas to check how traffic should be diverted to ease congestion. "More details will follow after they submit their findings," Tiwari said, "but traffic congestion will be cleared by the end of this week."

Senior government officials, meanwhile, said NDMC has agreed to immediately open up a single lane for vehicles where work is going on.

The civic agency had barricaded the entire Outer Circle to construct eight pedestrian subways, which were to be completed in 240 days. But as construction work threw traffic out of gear, NDMC is now considering carrying out this work in a phased manner, which means the project will take longer than the 240 days earlier allotted to it.

Working on phased construction will, however, free up more road and parking space in the Capital's busy central district.

Delhi Traffic Police chief Ajay Chaddha said everything would remain the same as of now. On Sunday, the traffic police had eased the traffic load to a certain extent by removing the barricades put up on Outer Circle. "Traffic is now much better," he said, "and it will improve further by the end of this week."

NDTA president Atul Bhargava, who was part of today's meeting, said: "Traffic has been badly affected by the constructions in CP and we have been asking for a solution. It was decided in the meeting that NDMC and NDTA should get together and discuss the issue to find out an effective way to handle the situation." He said the civic body has been given a week's time to ease the congestion.

The NDMC was asked in the meeting to finish all construction work in the next eight months leading up to the Commonwealth Games.

Original news source http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/to-ease-traffic-in-cp-ndmc-to-make-new-plan/566268/

NDMC’s digging frenzy in CP stalls traffic, hits trade

Friday, Jan 8, 2010

After making a mess of Connaught Place by starting digging work in Middle Circle to transfer all cables and pipelines underground before Commonwealth Games and Outer Circle to upgrade eight subways New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) officials are now saying they might not be able to complete the work in Middle Circle before the Games.

This has hit CP's traders hard. They say sales have dropped by more than 50% and that they might be forced to hold protests against the ongoing work. Construction of the CP Metro station had earlier given them a setback and they are just recovering from it.

NDMC had started digging work in Middle Circle to carry out service ducting to place all cables and pipelines underground before the Games. But NDMC sources say that while tunnelling will be completed before the Games, they will not be able to transfer the service lines underground by then. Then why the hurry?

Said an NDMC official: "We will complete tunnelling before the Games but cables and pipelines will be placed underground only after the Commonwealth Games. Once tunnelling is complete, we will re-lay the road and beautify the area. The tunnel had to be made before carrying out beautification of the area and we will be ready with the tunnel before the Games. No further digging will be needed later as the service lines will be transferred underground through openings that will be made overground.''

At present, facade restoration work is going on in 16 blocks of CP. It has already eaten into footpaths, making it difficult for pedestrians to walk in the area. Around 30-40% of restoration work has been completed till now. Besides this, NDMC has also begun construction of eight subways in Outer Circle, which has completely choked traffic in the area as only half the carriageway is available for traffic.

The traders are also sceptical about the subway work which has an August 2010 deadline getting completed before the Games as the monsoon is likely to delay work for at least two months.

Said president of New Delhi Traders' Association, Atul Bharghav: "They are holding CP to ransom. We cannot continue to bear losses for six months. Sales have dropped by more than 50% and this is peak business time for us. I have been getting calls from agitated shopkeepers. In such a scenario, we might have to hold protests. NDMC shouldn't have started work on the project like this. They are cutting it too close to the deadline. We are going to hold a meeting on this matter on Friday to chart our course of action.''

Says Sneha Singh, who works in a bank in CP: "It is complete madness. It takes me an hour just to get to CP and there are constant traffic jams on Panchkuian Road, Minto Road etc. I have to get out of my house in Lajpat Nagar at least two hours before office hours in order to get to office on time. Finding parking is also impossible with no parking now available in Outer Circle and Middle Circle.''

Original news source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/NDMCs-digging-frenzy-in-CP-stalls-traffic-hits-trade/articleshow/5421640.cms

Footfall of 65,000 on new Anand Vihar Metro line

Thursday, Jan 7, 2010

With a footfall of around 65,000 by late evening, Delhi Metro's Yamuna Bank-Anand Vihar line grossed Rs.870,000 on its first day, an official said Thursday.

"Till 8 p.m. the new line recorded footfall of 65,000 and raked in Rs.870,000," a metro official told IANS.

Although officials said that on its first day, the new Metro line that runs across the eastern and north eastern part of the capital bordering Uttar Pradesh, had a smooth start, commuters had some complaints.

Commuters complained that the trains weren't frequent, coming at an interval of 15 minutes although the frequency is supposed to be one train every eight minutes.

A commuter said: "We had come with high hopes. But trains are coming after after 15 minutes only."

Expected to ease traffic flow in densely populated east Delhi and help thousands of commuters coming from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh to the national capital daily, the 6.25-km elevated line is expected to ferry 100,000 passengers daily by the end of this year.

Original news source http://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a105826.html

Anand Vihar Metro line opens to public Jan 7

Monday, Jan 4, 2010

Delhi Metro will open its services from Laxmi Nagar in east Delhi up to Anand Vihar, close to Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, Jan 7, officials said Monday.

Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit will inaugurate the new 6.25 km line Jan 6 and it will be thrown open to the public the following day.

"The Commissioner for Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) R.K. Kardam today (Monday) inspected the Yamuna Bank-Anand Vihar line of the Delhi Metro and the formal clearance is expected Tuesday," Delhi Metro spokesman Anuj Dayal said.

After the flagging-off, it is planned for the VIPs to travel by the inaugural train up to Anand Vihar, accompanied by officials and media.

This will be the fourth line of the Metro network and has five stations - Laxmi Nagar, Nirman Vihar, Preet Vihar, Karkardooma and Anand Vihar. The last two will have parking facilities. About 100,000 commuters are expected to use it everyday.

Metro authorities said that they will allot three to four trains for this route. Delhi Metro, which began services on a small scale in December 2002, now ferries nearly 900,000 commuters every day.

Original news source http://www.littleabout.com/news/53711,anand-vihar-metro-line-opens-public-jan-7.html

Buses go off Connaught Place

Saturday, Jan 2, 2010

Delhi began the New Year by diverting buses off Connaught Place, the nerve centre of the national capital, as part of massive preparations for the Commonwealth Games from October 3-14.

This was done to ensure hassle-free renovation and beautification of the British-era market complex.

The New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) is building new subways in the outer circle, a service corridor in the middle circle, renovating buildings and making other improvements. To keep the work going at a steady pace, all buses except those to New Delhi railway station will be kept away from Connaught Place.

"Buses for New Delhi railway station will continue to ply through Connaught Place. Routes of all other buses have been changed," a Delhi traffic police official said.

An advisory board comprising officials from NDMC and traffic police has issued a notice that only half the number of vehicles that ply on a normal day will be allowed through the outer circle. This arrangement will continue for two-and-a-half months.

Original news source http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_buses-go-off-connaught-place_1329917

189 booked for drunken driving in Delhi

Friday, Jan 1, 2010

As many as 189 people were booked for driving under the influence of alcohol in the national capital on New Year's Eve, police said Friday.

Delhi Police prosecuted 189 people for drunken driving Thursday night as a part of their drive to check violation of traffic rules.

"Several police teams - static and mobile - kept a tight vigil in the capital to check people driving under the influence of alcohol," Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said.

Two magistrates were stationed at Parliament Street police station to fine the offenders.

Staff equipped with breath analysers and alcometres were deployed near pubs, malls and hotels as part of a drive to check dangerous and drunken driving during the festive season.

Police Control Room (PCR) vans were also pressed into service to ensure hassle-free flow of traffic.

The number of offenders has come down rapidly this year as 384 people were booked for drunken driving on the New Year's Eve of 2008.

Original news source http://www.twocircles.net/2010jan01/189_booked_drunken_driving_delhi.html

Anand Vihar Metro line to open for public next week

Thursday, Dec 31, 2009

Commuting from trans-Yamuna and Ghaziabad will no longer be a difficult experience as Delhi Metro is set to open its Yamuna bank-Anand Vihar line in the first week of January.

"There will be an inspection of this over six-km long line Jan 4. Two to three days after that, it will opened for public," a Delhi Metro official told IANS.

"This will make commuting to trans-Yamuna and Ghaziabad a smoother one. This metro line will take commuters close to Ghaziabad though it will not cross the Delhi border. We have achieved the target in spite of the collapse of the metro bridge in the same line earlier 2009," the official added.

The 6.17 km-long line will have five stations at Laxmi Nagar, Nirman Vihar, Preet Vihar, Karkardooma and Anand Vihar. The last two will have parking facilities.

"Looking at the paucity of space and congested localities, we are providing parking facility at Karkardooma and Anand Vihar stations only," the official said.

At Karkodoma, the platform will be at a height of 20 meters, which will be the highest elevated metro station so far.

Metro authorities said that they will allot three to four trains for this line. "After its public opening, we expect around 40,000 more commuters to take help of Delhi Metro," the official said adding that with this new line, Delhi Metro will have a network of 96 km.

Delhi Metro ferries nearly 900,000 commuters every day.

Original news source http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/anand-vihar-metro-line-to-open-for-public-next-week_100297235.html