roko

HIGHWAY TO DISASTER: DELHI GURGAON EXPRESSWAY – DEATHWAY

Remember the Song…… from Bob Marley!

Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight

Delhi Gurgaon Expressway - A Menace since its very inception

We all know that the ‘Delhi Gurgaon Expressway’ has fast earned the reputation of a ‘Killer Expressway.’ Around 130 people have died in accidents in the 28 km long Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway on NH8 ever since it was opened in January 2008 - most of them two-wheeler drivers or pedestrians.

Shockingly, the concessionaire company, DSC Ltd and the governmental agency, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) have no records or details on the identity of the ill-fated victims!

I remember driving to office from Shankar Chowk when the construction for the NH8 Expressway had just commenced. Roads were just dug up everywhere with concrete thrown allover the place. It was like off-roading in Gurgaon –The Undisputed Millennium City and a Mahindra Jeep would have done full justice to this newly carved terrain from the national highway authorities.

For almost 2.6 years, commuting to my office was an everyday struggle. Stuck up in traffic jams for hours, I sometimes felt like running away from this chaos and migrating to some peaceful overseas destination.

Finally, when the highway construction got over, I realized that the highway authorities (DS constructions & National Highway Authority of India) had made a complete mess of the new age highway. It seemed that the Gurgaon Administration was never consulted on the growing traffic in the city and the construction was carried out in complete isolation as per the highway plans chalked down a few years ago.

It didn't seem that any road traffic professional was ever hired and no survey or any homework was ever done on the ongoing traffic and future demands on this highway.

On a 27 kilometer highway, not a single foot-bridge was built. It was only after a hundreds of people died on this highway that the authorities took note and constructed two foot-bridges.

The service lanes are highly incapable of handling the massive influx of traffic with most of the traffic light hardly working.

Other lanes connecting the service lanes are poorly made with no clear corners or demarcation for traffic to move. There are simply no rules and poor pedestrians have to run for their lives to get to a public transport. During office hours one should see how chaotic it gets.

I am no expert on such a mess but can add my two cents by giving a few suggestions to the authorities and the daily commuters.

Suggestions for the E-Way Authorities:

1. Install Speed Cameras. (UTMOST IMPORTANT). Controlling the speed on the highway is No. 1 priority.

2. Construct more foot over-bridges. No pedestrian should be allowed to stand or walk on the highway. Fine pedestrians too.

3. Constantly penalize/fine two wheeler users on the highway. (Well, for their own safety).

4. Display massive signage on road safety across the highway with pictures of accidents and warnings.

5. Install Proper signage for destinations to avoid less confusion amongst commuters.

6. Mandatory Fines for Cash Users in TAG lanes. (VERY IMP).

7. Have competent road marshals. Traffic police would be better. (Not just security guards.) (They should take down numbers of as many two-wheelers entering the highway and traffic police should send them fines.

I am sure forum members can add many more ideas.

By the way, have you ever pondered as to why should we pay a toll tax when we already pay heavy taxes on buying cars, fuel tax, road tax and so many other taxes?

We don’t save time or money on this highway. We just keep waiting and waiting to pay the toll. (15-20 minutes is a normal waiting time). So what are we paying for? (Global Warming).

I hope one day all the educated people/drivers spare a few minutes; halt their cars and take our a procession or two on the highway. If this can be done, I am sure we will be heard.

I guess, there must be many other frustrated drivers out there who can contribute to this thread with many more ideas.

Cheers and Drive Safely.