Makeover time for over 100 road points in city

Source: Hindustan Times, Delhi Edition, 21.01.2013

दैनिक जागरण - सिग्नल-फ्री रोड का साइड इफेक्ट है अपराध में इजाफा!

राजू सजवान, नई दिल्ली

पिछले कुछ सालों से दिल्ली की सड़कों को सिग्नल फ्री बनाने पर करोड़ों रुपये खर्च किए जा चुके हैं, लेकिन ये सिग्नल फ्री रोड हाल ही में हुए सामूहिक दुष्कर्म जैसे अपराधों का कारण बनते जा रहे हैं। यह किसी निजी या स्वयंसेवी संगठन की राय नहीं है, बल्कि दिल्ली के यातायात एवं परिवहन की योजना बनाने वाली एकीकृत एजेंसी यूटीपैक का मानना है कि फ्लाइओवर और सिग्नल न होने के कारण चलती गाड़ियों में बलात्कार जैसी घटनाएं होती हैं।

यूटीपैक द्वारा सार्वजनिक स्थलों पर महिलाओं की सुरक्षा को लेकर गाइडलाइंस बनाई जा रही हैं। इस कवायद के दौरान यह तथ्य यूटीपैक के समक्ष आया है। यूटीपैक के सदस्यों ने एक अध्ययन में पाया कि तेज रफ्तार से चलती गाड़ियों के भीतर हो रही घटनाओं को साथ चलते वाहन चालक देख नहीं पाते। दिल्ली के राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग आठ या दोनों रिंग रोड पर इस तरह की आपराधिक वारदातें भी पिछले कुछ सालों में रिपोर्ट की गई हैं।

यूटीपैक ने सार्वजनिक स्थलों पर महिलाओं की सुरक्षा को लेकर बन रही गाइडलाइंस के ड्राफ्ट में इसे शामिल किया है और प्रस्ताव रखा है कि दिल्ली के प्रमुख चौराहों पर जहां सिग्नल हटा दिए गए हैं, वहां सिग्नल लगाए जाएं, ताकि गाड़ियों की रफ्तार थम सके। सिग्नल पर गाड़ी रुकने के कारण साथ खड़े वाहन चालक अंदर हो रही घटना को देख कर रोक सकें या पुलिस को सूचित कर सकें।

अपने ड्राफ्ट में यूटीपैक ने अब दिल्ली में फ्लाइओवर बनाने या सिग्नल फ्री रोड बनाने पर रोक लगाने का प्रस्ताव रखा है। इसके अलावा रात के समय फ्लाइओवर बंद कर गाड़ियों को नीचे से गुजरने का प्रस्ताव रखा है, ताकि नीचे भीड़भाड़ होने पर ऐसी वारदात को देखा जा सके। इसके अलावा सड़क के किनारे एक व्यवस्थित तरीके से रेहड़ी पटरी वालों को जगह देने की भी वकालत की गई है, ताकि सड़क पर चहलपहल रहे या ये रेहड़ी पटरी वाले ऐसी घटनाओं को रोकने में मददगार साबित हो सकें। यूटीपैक ने दिल्ली की सुनसान सड़कों पर चहल-पहल बढ़ाने के लिए अर्बन प्लानिंग में सुधार की गुंजाइश बताई है। सड़कों के किनारे रेहड़ी, पटरी के अलावा छोटी-छोटी दुकानें होनी चाहिए, जिन्हें रात को बंद करने जैसी बाध्यता नहीं होनी चाहिए। रात के वक्त इन दुकानों को खोलने के लिए प्रेरित करना चाहिए। ऐसे इलाकों में रैन बसेरा या सेमी हॉकिंग जोन बनाने होंगे।

यूटीपैक के एक अधिकारी ने बताया कि अभी जागौरी जैसे संगठनों की मदद से यह ड्राफ्ट तैयार किया जा रहा है, इस पर अलग-अलग संगठनों और लोगों से राय ली जाएगी और बाद में सरकार की ओर से अधिसूचना जारी की जाएगी और दिल्ली की सभी एजेंसियों को महिला सेफ्टी गाइडलाइंस की पालना करनी होगी।
http://epaper.jagran.com/story1.aspx?id=24024&boxid=108224832&ed_date=28-dec-2012&ed_code=4&ed_page=6

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Dark stretches a haven for criminals. DANGER AHEAD: Police Identify 1300 odd Roads in National Capital.

Vendors occupy pavements, shoppers forced onto roads

The corporation is likely to approve a policy for street vendors soon

New Delhi: In Karol Bagh market, shoppers walk on roads as street vendors have taken over the pavements. While the vendors claim they are licensed to operate, North Delhi Municipal Corporation says it has issued t e h b a z a a r i s to only 340 people and the rest are operating illegally. 
    Traders say the number of street vendors has increased manifold over the years due to lax enforcement. “Street vendors outnumber the shopkeepers here. It has not only affected out business but also left no space to walk,’’ said Murli Mani, president of Karol Bagh Traders’ Association. 
    Sources say there are 1,000-1,200 t e h b a z a a r i sin this area. And the corporation is yet to draft a policy to regulate street vendors. The vendors’ association, however, claims all the t e h b a z a a r i s are authorized. “Some of us have t e hb a z a a r i licences while the others have applied for them. The corporation has been sitting on this issue for years now,’’ said Devendra Kohli, a street vendor and member of the vendors’ association. 
    The erstwhile MCD had identified 1.3 lakh street vendors and agreed to allot vending sites to them, but the process has not started. Arbind Singh, national coordinator, National Association of Street Vendors of India, said, “There are 1,000-1,200 street vendors in Karol Bagh market where seven roads have been declared hawking zones. But the space for hawkers has been encroached upon by the parking mafia. At some points, the corporation has given out space for parking. What option do the vendors have but to sit on pavements?” 
    Mahinder Nagpal, leader of the house, North Corporation, said, “We have drafted a policy for street vendors and will soon approve it. We will identify new sites for them”. 
    While the corporation claims that a new policy is in place, vendors say they don’t want to move out. “The corporation had allotted new sites to some of us, but these were not in the market area. How will we earn our livelihood if we are removed from the market?’’ said Kohli.

Source: TOI (11 Dec, 2012)

Soon, audit cell for road projects

NEW DELHI: The problems of potholes on newly constructed roads or entire stretches caving in after rains will soon be addressed. A proposal for setting up an audit cell to check the planning, safety and quality norms in all major infrastructure projects has been given a green signal by the LG's office. The composition of the audit cell is under process, said sources.

"The composition of the audit cell is going to be formalised soon. It will consist of members from institutes such as CRRI, IIT, NCBM (National Council of Building Materials), DTU and others as well as Jagori (for women safety audit)," said a senior official. The proposal will apply to all future projects that come to Unified Traffic and Transportation, Planning and Engineering, Centre (UTTIPEC) for approval.

The audit will consist of two parts: a planning and safety audit of the project that will be taken up before the execution of the project; and an audit of the quality or site check, which will be based on "critical engineering aspects" and will be carried out when the progress of the work is 25-50% and 80% complete. The quality of material such as bitumen, aggregate etc will be checked by taking samples from the site, says the proposal, which gives a check-list of tests that can be carried out. The quality audit team will be empanelled, said the official.

UTTIPEC is also finalising the terms of reference or scope of study which includes submission of detailed design and drawings of the approved plans to facilitate planning and engineering audit during the execution stage, explained sources. "The audit will create a template of design and implementation for all infrastructure projects in Delhi. At present, while third party audits are carried out by the civic agency, there is no basic minimum standard that is maintained across all projects," said the official. These audits will be separate from the third party audit carried out by the agencies. The basis of the two audits will be the street design guidelines as set by UTTIPEC. For the quality audit, the guidelines are the IRC/BIS specifications, added the official.

That current road development and other infrastructure projects require more planning is evident from the independent audits carried out by NGOs. Last month, a joint study by NGOs and an international university found several points of lacunae in the pedestrian and traffic movement plan of Nehru Place. From lack of a designated system for pedestrians to traffic eating into footpaths, the study had showed the lack of safety and planning in the busy commercial hub.

Source: The Times of India, Delhi Edition, 02.11.2012

Source: The Indian Express, Delhi Edition, 02.11.2012

City's Footpaths too high to be used, violate all norms

Source: Times of India, Delhi Edition

Gross violation of guidelines in footpath construction

City’s Footpaths Too High to be Used, Violate All Norms

A giant step backwards

CITY’S FOOTPATHS TOO HIGH TO BE USED, VIOLATE ALL NORMS

Indrani Basu TNN

New Delhi:Imagine having to raise your legs up to a feet or more to take a footpath. If the state public works department (PWD) has its way, walking on the pavement in Delhi may become quite a task, thanks to mindless construction by the public works department. And no, there is no way anyone can be penalized for the faulty construction.

In a gross violation of the street design guidelines, the PWD is constructing 19-inch high footpaths in Kirti Nagar. The norm is of six inches. When a TOI team visited the area, it found that the agency had built most of the footpaths along Satguru Ram Singh Marg at this height without placing any slanting kerb ramps for easy access. Also, wherever there were ramps, those were too steep. In some areas, as many as three steps had to be constructed to provide access to a footpath.
As per street design guidelines issued by DDA planning body UTTIPEC in 2010, height of a footpath cannot exceed six inches; the footpaths must have a ramp of the slope 1:12 and must have tactile paving both at the beginning and along the footpath.

When TOI spoke to engineers in charge of the construction on the stretch, they shifted the blame on the area municipal commission of Delhi (MCD). “These roads were earlier with MCD . The MCD had constructed high drains on this road, and the footpaths have to be built on top of that. As a result, the footpath is high,” said an engineer.

“However, we will also be relaying the road, which will add four inches to the current height of the road,” assured the engineer. However, UTTIPEC guidelines state that in case a road will be re-carpeted after a footpath is built, reduction in footpath height till 100 mm (four inches) is permitted, but under no circumstances should a footpath be higher than 150 mm (six inches).

TOI found that none of these footpaths have tactile paving (yellow footpath tiles that act as warning and guiding blocks for the visually impaired), and access ramps are either missing, too steep or replaced with steps that cannot be used by those on wheelchairs. “All UTTIPEC street design guidelines have to be followed for all new construction. Engineers are well aware of this as we have had numerous meetings on this under the chairmanship of L-G Tejendra Khanna,” said UTTIPEC director Ashok Bhattacharjee.
However, a senior official said, “Forget UTTIPEC guidelines, even basic IRC guidelines are not being followed. The footpath being constructed in Kirti Nagar is just one of the glaring examples of public road structures that serve no actual purpose and have resulted in wastage of large amount of public money.” While UTTIPEC has brought this matter to the notice of the L-G in a written complaint, there is currently no penalization provision in place to punish the road owning agencies.

Source: Times of India

Soon, walking down East Delhi’s streets may be a treat for the eyes

Published in News Paper  "NATIONAL"  |  New Delhi Edition

NEW DELHI,June 30, 2012

Staff Reporter

Walking down East Delhi’s streets may be a treat for the eyes soon with the East Delhi Municipal Corporation planning to hire landscape architects and urban planners to change the way its streets are designed. Terming the current approach “straight-jacket”, Municipal Commissioner S. S. Yadav said: “We will soon hire expertise from outside since the approach we have in-house is very straight-jacket.”

A week ago, the EDMC conducted a sensitisation workshop for all its engineers for the implementation of Street Design Guidelines of the Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Centre. This was in acco- rdance with the directive iss-ued earlier by the office of the Lieutenant-Governor and the Chief Secretary to all civic bodies to make changes in the current ways of executing road projects and to conform to the UTTIPEC guidelines.

Following a meeting on on-street parking, Mr. Yadav said that the Public Works Department is in-charge of implementing the new plan for on-street parking on Vikas Marg and the Corporation will support the same.

In 2009, the UTTIPEC had issued Street Design Guidelines to be followed on all city’s roads to make them safe and user friendly to all road users such as street vendors, pedestrians, women and children. The guidelines also provide ways in which persons with disabilities could be made to feel safe in negotiating a street.

Focus on public transport: Govt body issues guidelines for seamless travel

Sobhana K : New Delhi, Sun Mar 20 2011

Pilot project ordered for Jor Bagh-Aurobindo Place Market stretch; to be implemented on all Metro routes.
More signlised pedestrian crossings, lesser distance between bus stands, auto stands and Metro stations — these are a few key measures that the Delhi Development Authority’s planning body, Unified Traffic Transportation Infrastructure (Planning & Engineering) Centre, has directed civic agencies and Traffic Police to carry out for ensuring higher usage of public transport.

The guidelines issued by the body will have to be implemented on all Metro routes. The pilot project is being implemented on the stretch between Jor Bagh and Aurobindo Place Market. There are four Metro stations of the Jahangirpuri-HUDA City Centre corridor that fall on the way — Jor Bagh, INA, AIIMS and Green Park.

The body has pointed out a series of problems faced by commuters on this particular stretch through a detailed plan. For example, despite a high flow of pedestrian traffic at the Dilli Haat-INA crossing, no provision exists for their convenience.

At AIIMS, traffic bottlenecks are a regular feature due to the fact that there is no fixed bus stand and the buses stop anywhere on the main road. Further on, at the Green Park Metro station, there is no bus stand for at least 500 metres. The footpath in front of a petrol pump at Padmini Enclave serves as a makeshift bus stand.

The UTTIPEC has directed all civic agencies to shift the bus stands within 50 metres of the Metro station. Signalised pedestrian crossings have been suggested at four points — Dilli Haat-INA market, AIIMS, Yusuf Sarai Market and Gurudwara Green Park.

“Aurobindo Marg is not a Ring Road or an expressway — there are markets on both sides of the road and two major hospitals; there is a heavy flow of pedestrians due to these reasons. Foot-overbridges have very low usage, so pedestrian crossings are essential,” said Prem Nath, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic (South).

The UTTIPEC has also told the agencies to put in place additional measures like making the entire stretch pedestrian-friendly by correcting flaws like the alignment of the Ch Dalip Singh Marg intersection.

“The road leading to Safdarjung Development Area is not properly aligned with the intersection, leading to an increased chance of vehicle-to-vehicle collision. We are currently working on a viable plan to correct the alignment,” Prem Nath added.

The project will be implemented by the New Delhi Municipal Council and the Public Works Department.

“To ensure that commuters shift to public transport, it is essential that there is a smooth interchange between all modes of transport and they are all easily accessible. Metro commuters should be able to step into a bus or an auto as soon as they get out of the station,” said director (Planning) and member secretary of UTTIPEC, Ashok Bhattacharjee.

Article Link:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/focus-on-public-transport-govt-body-issues-guidelines-for-seamless-travel/764938/0

Better Refreshed BRT in version three

Lessons learnt : Delhi Govt says proposed corridor will be the best so far.The three letters BRT signify a nightmare for most commuters, don't they? But Phase III of the controversial so far Bus Rapid Transit Corridor promising to be its most user freindly version, chances are the association take a more rapid turn.

Source: Hindustan Times, Delhi Edition

Delhi prepares to put on walking shoes

Planning body makes pedestrain - friendly measures for roads compulsory. The United Traffic & Transportation Infrastructure Centre has come up with the first of its kind pedestrian design guidelines to ensure that walking in the city becomes safe and a pleasurable expereince.

Source: Hindustan Times, Delhi Edition