Positive Impact on Traffic Mess-up in Dwarka

Happy to report positive impact of issue raised through blog "Daily Traffic Mess-up at T-junction of Sector-2 road of Dwarka" on 14.12.2009 and followed through with direct interaction with authorities of Delhi Traffic Police.

Contents of said blog were shared as complaint-cum-suggestion with Jt. Commissioner (Traffic) & Commissioner of Police. They were acted upon timely and forwarded to relevant authorities in south-west district. Finally, action was seen in the shape of Traffic Police Constable controlling the traffic in peak evening time.

It is hoped that traffic police would take the next logical step of installing traffic lights for automatic regulation of vehicular traffic at all times.

Cornering of Railway Tatkal Reservations

Railway authorities had changed the norm of booking of Tatkal reservations from 5-days in advance to two days in advance. Which means, booking of Tatkal reservations for all trains starts 2 days in advance of journey date. Ostensibly, it is to help genuine commuters to enable last minute planning of emergency rail journey.

A different pattern seems to be emerging. Genuine commuters are, in many cases, not able to benefit from this facility. It is observed that IRCTC site for Internet booking of rail tickets remains very busy from time of start of booking i.e 8AM every morning for approx 20-30 minutes. And most of seats against tatkal reservation gets cornered. It seems that said problem is creation of travel agents by resorting to mass booking of tatkal tickets at 8AM every morning. They keep all of their computers ready with their client data and submit for booking at 8AM. Just imagine, lacs of travel agents all across the country booking on different trains for different classes simultaneously. Obviously, IRCTC site would be very busy. Hardly, any needy person would be able to book his tatkal ticket during that morning period. All tatkal tickets for important destinations on all important trains would simply disappear. And what is left is crumbs for general public.

Railways & IRCTC need to find answer to this type of cornering of tatkal reservation facility, though legitimate.

Daily Traffic Mess-up at T-junction of Sector-2 road & Road-over Drain

Dabri connectivity through road-over Drain from Dwarka sector-2/3/5/6 crossing is boon most of the time. This 4-km stretch saves at least 15-20 minutes each time one travels from Dwarka to Dabri or vice-versa.

But, in the evening, same boon gets converted to curse. One can witness one km long queue of vehicles on the road-over drain crawling towards Dwarka. This traffic jam is due to T-junction of this road with road coming from sector-1/2. This T-junction does not have any Traffic light to regulate traffic. So everybody pushes forward to cross simultaneously resulting in criss-crossing of vehicles and blocking of each other's path. This creates big traffic jam in evening hours on daily basis.

Commuters experience it every evening. Traffic authorities also would have experienced this jam someday. Don't they have mechanism to initiate remedial action on their own? Can't they think of installing traffic light post haste to regulate such chaotic traffic? And till, traffic light is installed, can't traffic constables be deputed in the evening for manual regulation?

Why should such traffic mess continue day after day? Please ponder. In case authorities were waiting for someone else to point out the problem, now that also has been pointed out.

It is time for action.

Bus Lane & Protruding Trees

Recently, roads in Dwarka sub city were were divided into lanes. All lanes including bus lanes & bus shelter areas were marked and painted.

Unfortunately, nobody noticed that buses, if forced to travel strictly in bus lane would keep hitting tress planted on the pavement along the road. Trees were planted so close to road that, after their growth over the years, practically all of trees are protruding on the bus lane. Their height allows only rikshaws & smaller vehicles to pass under them but not the bus - not even minibus or RTV. Traffic growth in Dwarka would make bus travel in bus lane more difficult. Tree cover would be in danger.

Only solution to this tree hitting problem by buses is regular trimming of trees for now. In future, new trees plantation should move inwards & away from road.

Potential Road Rage Spots in Dwarka

Look at the photograph above carefully. This service lane is breeding ground for Road rage champions. Vehicles have been parked on both sides of narrow service lane therby making it narrower. This double parking scene continues for several hundred meters. Only one vehicle can pass through at a time in the space left.

Now just imagine a vehicle approaching from the other side. One of vehicle has to back off -God knows for how many meters. Which one would back off & how many times? This is really a test of patience.

Now imagine the plight of commuter emerging from apartment gate. His gate opens in service lane. As his approach is forming a T-junction with service lane, normally he has to to back off to his apartment. How many times would he back off? Emerging explosive scenerio, isn't it?

Only solution, as suggested to traffic authorities & DDA many times, is single lane parking along the wall (away from Road) in the service lane throughout Dwarka. Let authorities implement single lane parking immediately with proper signages & pre-empt emergence of road rage champions.