Latest News For 'Delhi'
June 18th, 2010
With the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) decision to make screening of road safety films mandatory in all cinema halls in the country, Chandigarh residents too will get a lesson in road safety by July-end.
“The ministry of I&B has already written letters to chief secretaries of all states including Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal advising cinema halls to show road safety films before screening commercial films. The ministry has also asked the states to display hoardings on road safety rules, do’s and don’ts at important locations, preferably in government buildings, railway stations, bus stations and airports,” says KK Kapila, Chairman, International Road Federation (IRF) in a press release.
“Ministry of Road Transport & Highways in association with IRF has launched a national campaign for reduction of road accidents in the country as about 1.25 lakh deaths take place per annum due to road mishaps. As part of the campaign, IRF has made two films of three minutes each on road safety titled ‘Afsos’ and ‘Ehasas’. These will be released to all the cinema halls in Delhi and other states and cinemas will air them before the any commercial movie,” he adds. While Ehasas is a short film on drunken driving, Afsos is on the Supreme Court’s judgment to quickly shift the accident victims to a hospital by anyone without any fear of police harassment.
Express News Service Posted: Jun 18, 2010 at 0352 hrs
June 17th, 2010
The government today said it would soon finalise an action plan for road safety, with an annual provision of Rs 250 crore.
“We are going to come out with complete Road Safety Action Plan, provide about Rs 250 crore per year for road safety measures,” Road Secretary Brahm Dutt told PTI.
The development succeeds the bill for creation of National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board, which was introduced in Lok Sabha last month with the mandate to conduct regular safety audits of national highways and establish collection, transmission and analysis of road accident data.
India has highest number of road accidents in the world with more than one lakh people falling victims to road accidents every year. Official figures state as many as 1.37 lakh people were killed in road accidents in 2008.
Source: (PTI)
June 16th, 2010
Heavy rains Wednesday threw life out of gear in Mumbai, seriously affecting rail, road and air traffic. Eight people died in a wall collapse in neighbouring Thane district.
Mumbai got close to 100 mm rains in 12 hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) here said.
As rain water flooded the tracks, local trains, the lifeline of Mumbai, plied 10 to 30 minutes behind schedule, officials said.
According to an IMD official, Colaba in south Mumbai received 78 mm of rainfall and Santacruz about 95 mm, flooding scores of streets.
Traffic had to be diverted at Parel and Dadar in south-central Mumbai and Khar, Santacruz, Andheri, Jogeshwari, Malad, Kandivli and Borivli in the western suburbs of the city.
Air traffic was also hit, with most flights delayed by 35-40 minutes.
“Heavy rains, strong winds of between 15-20 knots and fluctuating visibility have impacted operations,” an airport official said.
Drains in several low-lying areas of Mumbai got choked, forcing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to press workers and pumps to clear rainwater from several roads.
“We have deployed 200 pumps,” said BMC Commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya.
Early Wednesday, eight people were crushed to death in sleep when a wall collapsed in Dyaneshwar Nagar area in Thane.
A high alert has been sounded in the low-lying areas of Mumbai. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea till Thursday in view of high tides measuring about 4.70 meters.
June 16th, 2010
Gurgaon Realty majors among those with development projects along Southern Peripheral Road
With pressure mounting from developers who had purchased land in the new sectors adjoining the Southern Peripheral Road (SPR), the Haryana government has decided to award parts of the work to two real estate majors who have upcoming projects along the route.
While the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has awarded work on a 1.3-km stretch of the 5.2-km road to Unitech Ltd, another 2 km has been given to DLF Ltd. The remaining part of the 90-metre-wide corridor will be awarded, after tendering, to anyone willing to take the project at the price offered six months ago.
Meanwhile, HUDA has written to the government for sanctioning Rs 132 crore to begin work on a 12.5-km stretch of the 18.5-km, 150-metre-wide Northern Peripheral Road (NPR). About 3.5 km of the NPR is under litigation, while another 2 km is in fragments and cannot be built unless the stay orders are vacated.
HUDA, which has floated tenders inviting international consultants for designing these two roads, is also in consultation with officials and experts in New Delhi who have designed various Commonwealth Games projects. “If all goes as per plan, we will float tenders for the NPR by mid-July,” said Pankaj Kumar, Superintending Engineer, HUDA.
The two four-lane corridors will also have 30 metres of green belt on both sides, separate lanes for slow and fast moving traffic, slots for a Metro line and public utilities as well as scope for future expansion.
“Land acquisition for the road is on priority so that developers can benefit from the good connectivity,” explained Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner Rajender Kataria. The NPR has five bridges, including a railway overbridge at Garhi Harsaru, for which tenders will be floated separately, he added.
The roads are an important part of the Gurgaon-Manesar Masterplan 2021. Along with the Kundali-Manesar-Palwal Expressway, the aim is to take away 40 per cent of traffic on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway by providing a shorter alternative. Work on the NPR has been inordinately delayed since several residents of Daulatabad and New Palam Vihar, whose houses were to be demolished, moved court. A final order is still awaited.
The two roads: NORTHERN PERIPHERAL ROAD:The 18.5-km NPR will connect Dwarka and National Highway 8.
The road will start from Dwarka, connect Palam Vihar and the upcoming big SEZs in Gurgaon to join the NH-8 near Kherki Dhaula.
SOUTHERN PERIPHERAL ROAD:The SPR will connect Badshahpur Chowk to Kherki Daula on NH-8.
Source: Express India, 16th June, 2010
June 15th, 2010
The traffic gridlock you face on the way to work and back home every day, well, it just got worse several times over.
Starting this month-end or early next, Delhi Traffic Police will begin blocking one lane of several carriageways across the city to test a traffic plan that will be in force during the Commonwealth Games in October. The restrictions will be in place for all 24 hours of the day.
Almost all of the roads along the 170-km stretch, beginning from East Delhi and leading up to the airport, will have one lane reserved for Commonwealth Games competitors and authorities. These roads, located in South, Central and East Delhi, will connect to all competing and training venues.
Traffic police expect jams on these following roads, among others: Parade Road, National Highway-8, Safdarjang Road, Kemal Ataturk Marg, Aurobindo Marg, Lodhi Road, Ring Road, National Highway-24, DND flyover, Captain Gaur Marg and stretches of Outer Ring Road. “We are only waiting for the lane markings in green to be done, and we will start the trials soon after,” a police official said.
The pilot project will most likely begin at the end of this month at Vinay Marg near Ashoka Hotel at Chanakyapuri.
As part of the dry run, traffic police will start blocking one lane on these roads in phases.
Ajay Chadha, special police commissioner, said the lanes will be out of bounds for commuters throughout the day, and that traffic police personnel will be deployed to ensure commuters don’t enter these lanes, which will be painted green.
He admitted people will face problems. “We know managing traffic will be a challenge,” he said, “but we’ll do our best to educate commuters so that traffic moves smoothly.” Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit said traffic authorities will try their best to ensure traffic is not disrupted but added that trial runs were unavoidable as a lane had to be reserved for athletes during the Games.
“There is no doubt that Delhi’s roads have huge traffic.
But if traffic restrictions are managed well they’ll help in improving vehicular movement,” she said. ” It’s all about enforcing the rules. Trial runs will be carried out till authorities achieve some degree of confidence in the traffic plan.” But Dr P. K. Sarkar, professor of transport planning at the School of Planning and Architecture, is certain that city traffic will turn chaotic as a result of these trials.
“There is bound to be chaos,” he said. “What else would you expect if a lane lies unused on a major road?” He warned that if Delhi Traffic Police does not plan the closures well, it could create a ripple effect on other roads.
“People will try to avoid blocked roads and take other routes. As a result there will be traffic jams on several roads.” Traffic officials have decided to put up bollards on several roads where it is not possible to post traffic constables.
“This will physically keep commuters away,” an officer said. He said there is no formal timeframe for the trial run.
“It could continue right up to and certainly during the Commonwealth Games.” Rohit Baluja, president, Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), said: “Such traffic schemes have to be planned much in advance so that agencies have time to implement it.
There seems to be lack of planning here. Every agency does its work and there is hardly any coordination between them.” But that does not seem to bother the police. Chadha said if commuters don’t follow the trial route, police officials could invoke Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) that makes flouting the rule an offence.
“Managing traffic would be like a challenge and it would be the last option. After this, the vehicle can be seized,” Chadha said. He said there would be signage all over the city to ensure commuters find their way easily. We will also use the media effectively to educate commuters about the diversions.” Sources said the traffic plans were prepared in consultation with the Delhi Police, the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, and the MCD, PWD and the NDMC. The decision to reserve a lane was taken at a high- level meeting convened by Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna.
‘Levy Congestion Tax’: Union urban development minister Jaipal Reddy on Wednesday suggested that states levy congestion tax on private vehicle users.
This would discourage their use, reduce carbon emissions and smoothen traffic.
Heavy congestion tax, as it is levied in some of the busiest cities abroad, intends to discourage motorists from visiting some of the congested areas and instead force them to use public transport. Taxes are also levied on new vehicles.
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