Dhaula Kuan to undergo major changes to improve bus movement and reduce bottlenecks before Dussehra.

Government Agencies to Rectify Bus Movement at Dhaula Kuan

One of the most congestion-prone locations in the capital is readying for a facelift this festive season — multiple government agencies are preparing to rectify bus movement at the arterial, but perennially-choked, Dhaula Kuan.

Location Overview

Among the busiest transit points in Delhi, the location sees an estimated daily footfall of over 5 lakh vehicles. It goes to and from the airport and further towards Gurgaon and Jaipur on the one hand and towards South Delhi and Northwest Delhi’s Naraina on the other.

The Cause of Congestion

The reason for the characteristic traffic jams at the location, however, a senior government official said, was unregulated and ill-managed bus movement. Multiple government agencies have now been directed to confront the issue before Dussehra, which signals the beginning of the festive season and triggers an upswing in the number of commuters that utilise it.

Delhi’s Own and Interstate Buses

“The Metro station at Dhaula Kuan is a major interchange point for two lines; but it has been a point of persistent congestion mainly consisting of Delhi’s own as well as interstate buses. A key reason is that Rajasthan-bound buses tend to stop here to pick passengers, apart from city buses,” a senior government official said.

Solution and Plans

“The current arrangement does not have proper bus lanes even though there are three bus queue shelters on the slip road. L-G VK Saxena has given instructions to create a framework for seamless bus movement and hassle-free passenger pick-ups by creating additional lanes, widening existing lanes and putting proper markings for bus bays and bus lanes in place,” the official also said.

As a result, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), along with teams of IIT-Delhi, Public Works Department (PWD) and the Transport department, have begun an exercise to streamline the movement of buses at Dhaula Kuan.

“Two dedicated bus lanes for interstate buses and bus box markings will be put in place at the stretch. In addition, two dedicated bus lanes for city buses in the front will be widened. Another bus lane will be created after removal of encroachment and demolition of obstruction created by a wall of DDA premises,” the official said.

Improving Passenger Safety

“We will also make bus queue shelters, install bollards to guide bus movement and ensure lighting along metro pillars to ensure safety of passengers at night,” the official added.

With these planned changes, it is expected that the congestion at Dhaula Kuan will be significantly reduced, providing a smoother and more efficient commute for the thousands of people who pass through this busy location.

Summary:

• Multiple government agencies are preparing to rectify bus movement at Dhaula Kuan, one of the most congestion-prone locations in Delhi.
• The location sees an estimated daily footfall of over 5 lakh vehicles and is a major transit point in the city.
• The characteristic traffic jams at Dhaula Kuan are mainly caused by unregulated and ill-managed bus movement.
• The government plans to create additional lanes, widen existing lanes, and put proper markings for bus bays and bus lanes in place to improve bus movement.
• Teams from NHAI, IIT-Delhi, PWD, and the Transport department are working together to streamline the movement of buses at Dhaula Kuan.
• Improvements will include dedicated bus lanes for interstate and city buses, removal of encroachment, and installation of bollards and lighting for passenger safety.