News: Panel to find ways to prevent wrong-side driving, improve traffic along Hero Honda Chowk-04-03-2022
Gurugram: A committee comprising three traffic experts is scheduled to inspect the Hero Honda Chowk (HHC) on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway next week, and come up with possible solutions to “prevent rampant driving on the wrong side of the junction as well as improve traffic management” in the area, said officials on Thursday
Driving on the wrong side of the road is a major issue at the Hero Honda Chowk, they said.
Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Gurugram Ankita Chaudhary, assistant commissioner of police (traffic), and a representative from Raahgiri Foundation will be the members of the expert committee. District deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav constituted the expert panel last week during the district road safety committee meeting, after apprising about issues faced along the Hero Honda Chowk.
For commuters travelling on the service lanes of the Delhi-Jaipur carriageway of National Highway 48 (NH-48), the next U-turn after the Hero Honda Chowk is nearly five kilometres away, just before the Kherki Daula toll plaza. The next U-turn in the opposite direction is at Rajiv Chowk, nearly three kilometres from the Hero Honda Chowk, which prompts a lot of residents, especially those living in Sector 33, to violate the traffic rules, according to the traffic police.
“The next exit is almost three kilometres away--on the heavily congested Rajiv Chowk. Instead of driving an extra six kilometres for 20 minutes, I usually drive on the wrong side of the road to reach home a little earlier,” said Ajay Chauhan, a resident of Sector 33.
The committee will also have to come up with a plan to decongest the Hero Honda Chowk, where an underpass has been operational since May 2018. Commuters travelling from the direction of Subhash Chowk have to often wait for the traffic signal to turn green for a third time, before they can turn right to head towards Delhi on NH-48.
“Instead of just looking at the existing issues at the junction, the committee will approach it from a broader city-wide perspective. Next week, we will examine the implementation of possible steps, such as setting up jersey barriers so that commuters heading towards Sector 33 can directly drive towards their destination instead of having to go all the way to Rajiv Chowk,” said Sarika Panda Bhatt, co-founder of Raahgiri Foundation.
Bhatt said that the committee will consider setting up jersey barriers like those on Hamilton Court Road, which allow commuters to travel from MF Hussain Marg to Sushant Lok 1. Hamilton Court Road only allows one-way traffic movement.
“The committee will explore all possible options and suggestions for the Hero Honda Chowk. A final call will be taken only after the site visit,” said Chaudhary, adding the committee will also explore the option of only allowing two-wheeler movement on one of the service lanes of the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, in a bid to curb driving on the wrong side and divert the movement of heavy vehicles. She, however, said that any change will initially be started on a trial basis.
ACP traffic Sanjeev Balhara could not be reached for comment.
