PWD urges agencies to act on pending traffic works

NEW DELHI

Taking cognisance of worsening traffic snarls in the Capital, the Public Works Department (PWD) has written to multiple government agencies, urging them to appoint nodal officers to fast-track pending works at 89 traffic congestion hotspots across the city.

According to a report submitted by the Delhi Traffic Police to the PWD in March, 233 locations across the city need road or infrastructure upgrades to ease congestion. Of these, 89 points remain unresolved due to issues such as bus stops obstructing traffic flow, poor road surface conditions, missing signages and grilles, and inadequate street lighting.

A Delhi government official told The Hindu that a committee has been formed under the leadership of the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic). It includes officials from various departments and traffic police officers, who are regularly consulting with experts to devise solutions for decongesting the city’s roads.

Of the 233 total locations, 99 are classified as resolved or not feasible, 11 are partially completed, 89 are pending, and in 34 cases, responses from concerned agencies are awaited, the official said. 

Work in progress

“In spite of regular follow-ups by the Delhi Traffic Police, work at various locations is still pending. Therefore, you are requested to take necessary action to execute pending works in a time-bound manner,” the PWD wrote in its communication to the agencies. 
The PWD, which maintains all major roads in the national capital, is responsible for 123 of the congestion points. Of these, 37 remain pending while action has been taken on 75.

According to the report, other agencies responsible for unresolved locations include the Delhi Transport Corporation (15), the New Delhi Municipal Council (13), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (13), and the National Highways Authority of India (22). A few pending locations fall under the Delhi Jal Board and the Delhi Development Authority.

The minor works required range from repairing road surfaces, fixing missing grilles on central verges, installing reflectors and signboards, painting road markings, and repainting zebra crossings, among others.

In South Delhi, the report highlights the need to relocate several bus stops, such as those on the Ring Road stretch between AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital, Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, Josip Broz Tito Marg, and near Nizamuddin Railway Station.

“The bus stand under the Modi Mill flyover in the carriageway of Ashram to Badarpur on Mathura Road needs to be shifted further 150 meters ahead by DTC,” the report states.

In the NDMC area, road marking work is pending in multiple places, including Outer Circle Connaught Place, Janpath Road, Shankar Road, Rajendra Prasad Road, and Abai Marg (Chanakyapuri).

The PWD has also been tasked with repairing roads and installing signage on major stretches like Najafgarh–Bijwasan Road, Rohtak Road, Nangloi Road, IGI Airport Slip Road, Aurobindo Marg, and August Kranti Marg.