Friday, Jan 14, 2011
A policewoman, part of the five-member team from England which is here to study the functioning of police and traffic regulation in the country, today said drivers in India "are not bothered about road safety."
The team is in the city as part of the cultural exchange programme of Rotary International.
After meeting the City Police Commissioner, C Sylendra Babu, policewoman Toni Mckie told reporters that police personnel in England were "very strict" about traffic violations and accordingly, drivers also followed traffic rules.
However, Mckie said the majority of the drivers in Indian cities, including Coimbatore, drove "without obeying traffic rules" and were "not bothered about road safety."
The team would be in the city for another five days, during which they would study the functioning of police dogs, she said. They would leave for Kochi on Jan 17 to conduct a similar study there, Toni said.
Original news source http://www.indianexpress.com/news/indian-drivers-dont-care-about-road-safety/737414/
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Multi-level parking lots at Sarojini, CP to open by April
Friday, Jan 14, 2011
This summer, people visiting Sarojini Nagar and Connaught Place will not be complaining about lack of parking space. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has already constructed multi-level car parking (MLCP) structures at Sarojini Nagar and Baba Kharak Singh Marg, and is scheduled to open them by April.
Though the two MLCPs were to be completed by the Commonwealth Games, the work got delayed due to difficulty in getting clearances. However, by December 2010, the NDMC completed work on a nine-storey MLCP at BKS Marg and a similar eight-storey structure at Sarojini Nagar. In both the facilities, cars will enter through the basement and then be taken up by car lifts as well as other mechanical devices. While the structures took over two years for completion, the installation of the required machinery is expected to be completed in four months.
The MLCP at BKS Marg — with a parking capacity of 1,408 cars — is expected to cater to traffic coming to Connaught Place, Hanuman Mandir and state emporiums on the road. According to NDMC officials, parking a car as well as taking it out will take less than a minute. While driving the vehicle in, motorists will be given a slip bearing a unique identification number.
At present, installation work is being carried out by DLF, which is building the two parking lots on build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. NDMC spokesperson Anand Tiwari said though the rates have currently been fixed at Rs 10 per hour, the authorities are yet to decide if the parking facility should be kept open on a round-the-clock basis. "These are some operational details that have to be sorted out before the parking facility is opened to the public," he said. The automated parking facilities will have car lifts, pallets and computerised control systems.
The MLCP at Sarojini Nagar will be able to accommodate 824 vehicles.
Though a third facility was to come up on Kasturba Gandhi Marg, the project is yet to see the light of the day. The site was cleared in December 2009, but work came to a standstill after the Archaeological Survey of India denied permission — pointing out that the heritage monument, Agrasen ki Baoli, is located just 300 metres from the spot. The 6,219-sq ft parking lot was supposed to hold 1,582 cars.
The plan to build three multi-level parking lots, for solving parking-related issues in the Capital, was floated in 2007.
Original news source http://www.indianexpress.com/news/multilevel-parking-lots-at-sarojini-cp-to-open-by-april/737118/0
This summer, people visiting Sarojini Nagar and Connaught Place will not be complaining about lack of parking space. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has already constructed multi-level car parking (MLCP) structures at Sarojini Nagar and Baba Kharak Singh Marg, and is scheduled to open them by April.
Though the two MLCPs were to be completed by the Commonwealth Games, the work got delayed due to difficulty in getting clearances. However, by December 2010, the NDMC completed work on a nine-storey MLCP at BKS Marg and a similar eight-storey structure at Sarojini Nagar. In both the facilities, cars will enter through the basement and then be taken up by car lifts as well as other mechanical devices. While the structures took over two years for completion, the installation of the required machinery is expected to be completed in four months.
The MLCP at BKS Marg — with a parking capacity of 1,408 cars — is expected to cater to traffic coming to Connaught Place, Hanuman Mandir and state emporiums on the road. According to NDMC officials, parking a car as well as taking it out will take less than a minute. While driving the vehicle in, motorists will be given a slip bearing a unique identification number.
At present, installation work is being carried out by DLF, which is building the two parking lots on build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. NDMC spokesperson Anand Tiwari said though the rates have currently been fixed at Rs 10 per hour, the authorities are yet to decide if the parking facility should be kept open on a round-the-clock basis. "These are some operational details that have to be sorted out before the parking facility is opened to the public," he said. The automated parking facilities will have car lifts, pallets and computerised control systems.
The MLCP at Sarojini Nagar will be able to accommodate 824 vehicles.
Though a third facility was to come up on Kasturba Gandhi Marg, the project is yet to see the light of the day. The site was cleared in December 2009, but work came to a standstill after the Archaeological Survey of India denied permission — pointing out that the heritage monument, Agrasen ki Baoli, is located just 300 metres from the spot. The 6,219-sq ft parking lot was supposed to hold 1,582 cars.
The plan to build three multi-level parking lots, for solving parking-related issues in the Capital, was floated in 2007.
Original news source http://www.indianexpress.com/news/multilevel-parking-lots-at-sarojini-cp-to-open-by-april/737118/0
Flyovers don’t make a road
Thursday, Jan 13, 2011
This is one dream that has taken years and expenditure running into hundreds of crores to materialise but still refuses to come true. The UP Link Road was supposed to be a futuristic, signal-free highway promising to be a treat for those commuting to and from one of the most integral satellite towns of the Capital.
Two years after they planned to kill two birds with one stone, the Public Works Department's (PWD) plans to de-congest east Delhi, in addition to providing 'world-class' passage to a variety of vehicles headed to satellite towns such as Noida and Vaishali, have crumbled.
"My advice to whoever thinks that flyovers are the solution to all and sundry traffic problem is, don't construct just for the sake of constructing. If you spend hundreds of crores in making flyovers, then why can't you spare just a fraction of the time and money in conducting safety audits to ascertain the operational problems that commuters face on a daily basis," asked Professor PK Sarkar, a senior road safety and traffic infrastructure expert. Professor Sarkar is currently with the School of Planning and Architecture.
As per records tabulated by Delhi Traffic Police, the Kalyanpuri traffic circle, which consists of arterial routes such as the UP Link Road, National Highway 24 and Ghazipur, has borne witness to 78 commuter deaths in 2010.
"The drop in road fatalities from 82 in 2009 to 78 in 2010 is encouraging. This improvement has been possible only due to stricter law enforcement especially by our chase and challan squad," claimed Satyendra Garg, joint commissioner of police (traffic).
However, sources attributed the abysmally low drop to the area's proximity to the Commonwealth Games Village, located adjacent to Akshardham Temple.
"It was only because multiple agencies, including the traffic police, the Delhi Development Authority and the PWD, were engaged till the very last moment to prevent any major embarrassment during the fortnight-long Commonwealth Games in October. The names of locations were wrongly spelt on signboards and there was absolutely no police presence on the stretch except near the Games Village and Akshardham in the run up to the games," said a senior traffic police officer requesting anonymity.
Despite having pulled the Games off however, the UP Link road continues to suffer from massive design faults and criminal neglect of basic engineering principles, according to road experts.
"Road signage is improperly located and misleading, dysfunctional lighting at and near both flyovers: There is no road signage to guide commuters on either side of the Pandav Nagar flyover. Material used to lay subsequent layers of tar on each carriageway is not conducive for two-wheeler drivers as it is slippery, there is no lane marking on any of the three flyovers — this becomes a major problem on the Pandav Nagar flyover that has a bus stop located a few metres after descending it," Professor Sarkar said.
Perpetually ongoing construction work has made the stretch worse than ever before.
"Construction work is underway on almost the entire stretch but there is no barricading, no 'Men at Work' signs. This area should ideally be divided into and advance zone, a transition zone and work zone," Professor Sarkar added.
Original news source http://www.hindustantimes.com/Flyovers-don-t-make-a-road/Article1-650064.aspx
This is one dream that has taken years and expenditure running into hundreds of crores to materialise but still refuses to come true. The UP Link Road was supposed to be a futuristic, signal-free highway promising to be a treat for those commuting to and from one of the most integral satellite towns of the Capital.
Two years after they planned to kill two birds with one stone, the Public Works Department's (PWD) plans to de-congest east Delhi, in addition to providing 'world-class' passage to a variety of vehicles headed to satellite towns such as Noida and Vaishali, have crumbled.
"My advice to whoever thinks that flyovers are the solution to all and sundry traffic problem is, don't construct just for the sake of constructing. If you spend hundreds of crores in making flyovers, then why can't you spare just a fraction of the time and money in conducting safety audits to ascertain the operational problems that commuters face on a daily basis," asked Professor PK Sarkar, a senior road safety and traffic infrastructure expert. Professor Sarkar is currently with the School of Planning and Architecture.
As per records tabulated by Delhi Traffic Police, the Kalyanpuri traffic circle, which consists of arterial routes such as the UP Link Road, National Highway 24 and Ghazipur, has borne witness to 78 commuter deaths in 2010.
"The drop in road fatalities from 82 in 2009 to 78 in 2010 is encouraging. This improvement has been possible only due to stricter law enforcement especially by our chase and challan squad," claimed Satyendra Garg, joint commissioner of police (traffic).
However, sources attributed the abysmally low drop to the area's proximity to the Commonwealth Games Village, located adjacent to Akshardham Temple.
"It was only because multiple agencies, including the traffic police, the Delhi Development Authority and the PWD, were engaged till the very last moment to prevent any major embarrassment during the fortnight-long Commonwealth Games in October. The names of locations were wrongly spelt on signboards and there was absolutely no police presence on the stretch except near the Games Village and Akshardham in the run up to the games," said a senior traffic police officer requesting anonymity.
Despite having pulled the Games off however, the UP Link road continues to suffer from massive design faults and criminal neglect of basic engineering principles, according to road experts.
"Road signage is improperly located and misleading, dysfunctional lighting at and near both flyovers: There is no road signage to guide commuters on either side of the Pandav Nagar flyover. Material used to lay subsequent layers of tar on each carriageway is not conducive for two-wheeler drivers as it is slippery, there is no lane marking on any of the three flyovers — this becomes a major problem on the Pandav Nagar flyover that has a bus stop located a few metres after descending it," Professor Sarkar said.
Perpetually ongoing construction work has made the stretch worse than ever before.
"Construction work is underway on almost the entire stretch but there is no barricading, no 'Men at Work' signs. This area should ideally be divided into and advance zone, a transition zone and work zone," Professor Sarkar added.
Original news source http://www.hindustantimes.com/Flyovers-don-t-make-a-road/Article1-650064.aspx
Delhi Traffic police gives noc for 60 parking sites
Thursday, Jan 13, 2011
Expect a hassle-free parking experience while you visit your favourite shopping haunt in the city next time. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has got a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Delhi Traffic Police for running 60 parking sites in the city. On an average these surface parking lots will create additional space for 6,000 cars at a given point of time.
The civic agency has sent a list of 200 odd parking lots to the traffic police out of which 35 have been given a go ahead. In addition to this, 25 additional sites have also bee given approval by them.
"The 35 parking lots have already been tendered and will be made operational. The additional 25 ones will be tendered by us soon and will be available for the people," said a senior MCD official.
The civic body currently has only 116 odd surface parking lots. With the approval by the Delhi Traffic Police the number has gone up to 176. "We hope that the entire list of 200 parking lots will be approved by the traffic police," added the official.
"We have given clearance to the MCD for a number of sites. We will be approving some more sites soon. All those sites where traffic flow is affected due to the presence of a parking lot will not be given approval," said Satyendra Garg, joint commissioner of police (traffic).
Delhi Traffic Police had recently refused to give No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the MCD for running these parking lots. The civic agency had taken up the matter with them.
"In the absence of legal parking lots parking mafia were overcharging the people by running these sites illegally. It is better to legalise them rather than let it be run illegally," added the official.
Original news source http://www.hindustantimes.com/Delhi-Traffic-police-gives-noc-for-60-parking-sites/Article1-649610.aspx
Expect a hassle-free parking experience while you visit your favourite shopping haunt in the city next time. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has got a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Delhi Traffic Police for running 60 parking sites in the city. On an average these surface parking lots will create additional space for 6,000 cars at a given point of time.
The civic agency has sent a list of 200 odd parking lots to the traffic police out of which 35 have been given a go ahead. In addition to this, 25 additional sites have also bee given approval by them.
"The 35 parking lots have already been tendered and will be made operational. The additional 25 ones will be tendered by us soon and will be available for the people," said a senior MCD official.
The civic body currently has only 116 odd surface parking lots. With the approval by the Delhi Traffic Police the number has gone up to 176. "We hope that the entire list of 200 parking lots will be approved by the traffic police," added the official.
"We have given clearance to the MCD for a number of sites. We will be approving some more sites soon. All those sites where traffic flow is affected due to the presence of a parking lot will not be given approval," said Satyendra Garg, joint commissioner of police (traffic).
Delhi Traffic Police had recently refused to give No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the MCD for running these parking lots. The civic agency had taken up the matter with them.
"In the absence of legal parking lots parking mafia were overcharging the people by running these sites illegally. It is better to legalise them rather than let it be run illegally," added the official.
Original news source http://www.hindustantimes.com/Delhi-Traffic-police-gives-noc-for-60-parking-sites/Article1-649610.aspx
Soon, park your cars at new multi-level parking in CP
Wednesday, Jan 12, 2011
Get ready to shell out more money to park your car in the busy Connaught Place (CP). Delhi's first computerised, multi-level parking lot is all set to open shortly at Baba Kharak Singh Marg. The building's civic structure is complete and currently machinery is being installed by the private company that is constructing it.
According to New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), three floors of the building have been commissioned and mechanical work has also been carried out. The parking lot has one basement, one ground floor and nine floors on the top. Work on rest of the floors is underway.
To park your car, you will have to shell out Rs 10 per hour, whereas currently Rs 10 is charged for parking the vehicles for two hours in CP.
"We hope to complete the work related to testing and commissioning by February and will try to make it operational by March end," said a senior NDMC official.
Once commissioning and testing has been carried out, the NDMC seek clearance from the Delhi Arts Urban Commission and Delhi Fire Services.
Under this automatic system, the cars will be whisked away in lifts as soon as they book into the multi-level parking lot, and directed by computers into vacant slots, and similarly brought back to the car owner once he/she returns.
Unlike the ramp multi-level parking lots where the driver has to go all the way to the parking area to park the vehicle, under this system the lifts will move the cars to the upper levels depending on the vacant space. Just like an airport conveyor machine, the cars, once parked inside, will continue to move vertically or horizontally depending on the vacant spots. At a given point 1,408 vehicles can be parked in this lot.
"Once a car is placed on the platform, a computer command will indicate where to deposit the vehicle. The process for retrieval will hardly take two minute," added the official. A smart card will also be issued to the car owner which will have a unique identification number linking the car details to the pallete on which the vehicle will be placed. Bigger cars such as SUVs will have a different parking space inside the parking lot. The parking lot is being built on a Build Operate Transfer (BOT) basis and the construction work had started in October 2009.
Original news source http://www.hindustantimes.com/Soon-park-your-cars-at-new-multi-level-parking-in-CP/Article1-649211.aspx
Get ready to shell out more money to park your car in the busy Connaught Place (CP). Delhi's first computerised, multi-level parking lot is all set to open shortly at Baba Kharak Singh Marg. The building's civic structure is complete and currently machinery is being installed by the private company that is constructing it.
According to New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), three floors of the building have been commissioned and mechanical work has also been carried out. The parking lot has one basement, one ground floor and nine floors on the top. Work on rest of the floors is underway.
To park your car, you will have to shell out Rs 10 per hour, whereas currently Rs 10 is charged for parking the vehicles for two hours in CP.
"We hope to complete the work related to testing and commissioning by February and will try to make it operational by March end," said a senior NDMC official.
Once commissioning and testing has been carried out, the NDMC seek clearance from the Delhi Arts Urban Commission and Delhi Fire Services.
Under this automatic system, the cars will be whisked away in lifts as soon as they book into the multi-level parking lot, and directed by computers into vacant slots, and similarly brought back to the car owner once he/she returns.
Unlike the ramp multi-level parking lots where the driver has to go all the way to the parking area to park the vehicle, under this system the lifts will move the cars to the upper levels depending on the vacant space. Just like an airport conveyor machine, the cars, once parked inside, will continue to move vertically or horizontally depending on the vacant spots. At a given point 1,408 vehicles can be parked in this lot.
"Once a car is placed on the platform, a computer command will indicate where to deposit the vehicle. The process for retrieval will hardly take two minute," added the official. A smart card will also be issued to the car owner which will have a unique identification number linking the car details to the pallete on which the vehicle will be placed. Bigger cars such as SUVs will have a different parking space inside the parking lot. The parking lot is being built on a Build Operate Transfer (BOT) basis and the construction work had started in October 2009.
Original news source http://www.hindustantimes.com/Soon-park-your-cars-at-new-multi-level-parking-in-CP/Article1-649211.aspx
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Plan for more CP subways stays
Tuesday, Jan 11, 2011
Connaught Place traders on Monday met with NDMC officials to sort out issues related to starting work on the CP redevelopment plan. While the civic agency has agreed to allow parking in the Middle Circle, it is unwilling to compromise on its plan to construct more subways in the area, according to officials. The work of barricading the area is likely to begin by Monday night with some work already having started in CP.
"We had a meeting with senior officials in NDMC to sort out issues and went around CP to work out the best alternatives to avoid any traffic mess in the area. Some of our suggestions, including allowing parking in the Middle Circle, have been agreed to. NDMC will also look into providing one slot of parking in the Radial area. Initially, work will begin in six blocks - A, B, C, G, H and K - and the Regal and P-blocks. This work is likely to finish in eight months after which work will start in the other six blocks - D, E, F, L, M and N. We have also asked NDMC to reconsider its plans of constructing more subways. The existing five subways are hardly used and are not properly maintained,'' said president of New Delhi Traders Association, Atul Bharghav. The traders have asked NDMC to hire an independent agency to assess if there is any requirement for more subways in CP.
According to NDMC officials, however, while the agency is willing to look into all suggestions made by NDTA, it will go ahead with construction of eight more subways. "We are willing to explore all options to avoid any inconvenience but will go ahead with our original plan of constructing subways in CP,'' said an NDMC official. The civic body has already started work of opening the Panchkuian Radial Road.
NTDA said the new barricading plan will leave 50% space for traffic in the Middle Circle as opposed to the earlier plan under which almost 80% of the space would have been taken up.
In phase-I NDMC will start work on four subways at Panchkuian Road and Barakhamba Road. Work of constructing the service corridor will also begin in Middle Circle and at four radial roads. All the radial roads will be partially open at all times. In phase-II the civic agency will take up work of constructing four more subways and service corridor work will be taken up along three more radial roads. General beautification and remaining façade restoration work will also be taken up.
Original news source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Plan-for-more-CP-subways-stays/articleshow/7255210.cms#ixzz1Aukq6P5S
Connaught Place traders on Monday met with NDMC officials to sort out issues related to starting work on the CP redevelopment plan. While the civic agency has agreed to allow parking in the Middle Circle, it is unwilling to compromise on its plan to construct more subways in the area, according to officials. The work of barricading the area is likely to begin by Monday night with some work already having started in CP.
"We had a meeting with senior officials in NDMC to sort out issues and went around CP to work out the best alternatives to avoid any traffic mess in the area. Some of our suggestions, including allowing parking in the Middle Circle, have been agreed to. NDMC will also look into providing one slot of parking in the Radial area. Initially, work will begin in six blocks - A, B, C, G, H and K - and the Regal and P-blocks. This work is likely to finish in eight months after which work will start in the other six blocks - D, E, F, L, M and N. We have also asked NDMC to reconsider its plans of constructing more subways. The existing five subways are hardly used and are not properly maintained,'' said president of New Delhi Traders Association, Atul Bharghav. The traders have asked NDMC to hire an independent agency to assess if there is any requirement for more subways in CP.
According to NDMC officials, however, while the agency is willing to look into all suggestions made by NDTA, it will go ahead with construction of eight more subways. "We are willing to explore all options to avoid any inconvenience but will go ahead with our original plan of constructing subways in CP,'' said an NDMC official. The civic body has already started work of opening the Panchkuian Radial Road.
NTDA said the new barricading plan will leave 50% space for traffic in the Middle Circle as opposed to the earlier plan under which almost 80% of the space would have been taken up.
In phase-I NDMC will start work on four subways at Panchkuian Road and Barakhamba Road. Work of constructing the service corridor will also begin in Middle Circle and at four radial roads. All the radial roads will be partially open at all times. In phase-II the civic agency will take up work of constructing four more subways and service corridor work will be taken up along three more radial roads. General beautification and remaining façade restoration work will also be taken up.
Original news source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Plan-for-more-CP-subways-stays/articleshow/7255210.cms#ixzz1Aukq6P5S
Left turns opened to ease traffic in Old Delhi
Sunday, Jan 09, 2011
After six months of hardships for commuters as well as the traffic police in Old Delhi, Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna has ordered the opening of left turns on SP Mukherjee Marg and Netaji Subhash Marg. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure, Planning and Engineering Centre (UTTIPEC) with all the stakeholders on Friday.
This was a pilot project of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), aimed at decongesting SP Mukherjee Marg by segregating motorised and non-motorised vehicles.
Original news source http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Left-turns-opened-to-ease-traffic-in-Old-Delhi/735221/
After six months of hardships for commuters as well as the traffic police in Old Delhi, Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna has ordered the opening of left turns on SP Mukherjee Marg and Netaji Subhash Marg. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure, Planning and Engineering Centre (UTTIPEC) with all the stakeholders on Friday.
This was a pilot project of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), aimed at decongesting SP Mukherjee Marg by segregating motorised and non-motorised vehicles.
Original news source http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Left-turns-opened-to-ease-traffic-in-Old-Delhi/735221/
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