Roads in Gurgaon

हुड्डा ने बताया कि ट्रैफिक मैनेजमेंट सिस्टम को हेल्दी बनाने के लिए जोरों से काम किया जा रहा है। इतना ही नहीं राष्ट्रमंडल खेलों को देखते हुए भी पुलिसकर्मियों को टूरिस्टों से बात करने की जानकारी देने समेत उन्हें व्यवहार कुशल बनाने के लिए काम किया जा रहा है। इसके लिए वर्कशॉप भी आयोजित की जा रही हैं।

मुख्यमंत्री के आदेश पर गुड़गांव के ट्रैफिक प्लान के बारे में डिटेल जानकारी देते हुए गुड़गांव निगम के आयुक्त आर. के. खुल्लर ने बताया कि गुड़गांव से मानेसर को 'गुड़गांव टू मानेसर कॉम्प्लेक्स' माना गया है। इसके लिए दिल्ली की कंपनी अर्बन मास ट्रांजिट को यहां ट्रैफिक व्यवस्था को बेहतर करने का अध्ययन करने की जिम्मेदारी सौंपी गई थी। कंपनी ने स्टडी करके रिपोर्ट सरकार को सौंप दी है। स्टडी में गुड़गांव से मानेसर तक ऐसे 22 चौराहों को चिह्नित किया गया है जहां तत्काल फ्लाईओवर बनाने की जरूरत है। इसके बाद इस रोड पर आने-जाने वाला ट्रैफिक बिना ट्रैफिक जाम से रूबरू हुए आवागमन कर सकेगा।

इसके अलावा इस रोड पर 8 स्थानों पर अंडरपास भी बनने चाहिए। यह वह स्थान हैं जहां फ्लाईओवर बनाने में परेशानी सामने आ रही है। इसलिए इन स्थानों पर अंडरपास बनाकर ट्रैफिक को स्मूद रास्ता दिखाया जाएगा। यही नहीं साइकल ट्रैक को अलग बनाने की जरूरत भी सर्वे रिपोर्ट में बताई गई है। इससे साइकल सवार वाहनों की चपेट में आने से बच सकेंगे और उन्हें भी अपनी अलग लेन मिल जाएगी।

खुल्लर ने बताया कि खासतौर से मानेसर में बड़े ट्रॉलों का लोड अधिक होता है। इसलिए गुड़गांव और मानेसर में 3 जगहों को फ्रेट स्टेशन के लिए चुना गया है जहां ऐसे जंबो ट्रॉले खड़े हो सकेंगे जोकि जगह-जगह खड़े होकर ट्रैफिक जाम का कारण बनते हैं। कई बार उनसे हादसे भी हो जाते हैं। अगर संभव होगा तो इन्हीं स्टेशनों से ट्रॉलों में सामान भर दिया जाएगा और इनमें भरे सामान को यहीं से छोटे वाहनों में भरकर उन्हें गंतव्य स्थान तक पहुंचा दिया जाएगा। इससे ट्रॉले ऐसे स्थानों में प्रवेश करने से बच जाएंगे जहां इनके जाने पर अनावश्यक रूप से जाम लग जाता है। गुड़गांव में रिंग रोड बनने से भी काफी राहत मिलेगी। यह सारी प्रक्रिया फ्यूचर विजन डॉक्युमेंट के रूप में की जा रही है।

This 39.53-km-long road provides a vital link to vehicular traffic connecting major parts of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir with Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan bypassing Chandigarh and Mohali.

Missing the deadline of December 2009, the project is still not complete with a Gurgaon-based C&C Constructions Limited seeking another extension till January 2011 for completion, after the repeated extensions granted till July 2010 lapsed.

While the private agency, which was awarded the project at Rs 108.98 crore in July 2007, blames the non-clearance of path due to non-shifting of utilities like electricity poles, water, sewerage lines, non-removal of encroachments, non-clearance from Forest department, delayed land acquisition and several other problems at the level of various government departments, the PWD is contemplating to impose penalty on the contractor for the "delay".

PROJECT details
Existing width of the road from 3.5 metres to 5.5 meters was to be widened up to standard two-lane configuration with hard shoulders in Tepla-Landran section and four-laning in the rest of the reach. There are seven bridges, 55 culverts and a 17-km-long drain to be constructed.

Blame Game
PWD SDE Pawan Kumar initially blamed monsoons for the delay but when reminded that the deadline had elapsed 8 months ago, he was quick to shift the blame on the contractor. "We will penalise the contractor for the delay," he said. While PWD Executive Engineer A S Brar said he could not comment since he was shifted recently, his successor Gurmukh Singh said he was yet to study the project. When asked about his senior officials, Gurmukh said, "They will also be unaware. You better ask me after some days".

Source: The Indian Express By Nitin Jain PWD `fails' to clear pathway, Rs 109-cr highway project hits roadblock

Gurgaon, it seems is not the only one to boast of an orphaned road.

An underpass that is still incomplete two years after it started, has left a stretch of road number 13A near Sarita Vihar in the same predicament. With the result that since the rains started, the road the only one out of the colony apart from a long detour on the congested Mathura Road has developed potholes of massive size and a cave-in earlier this week has raised concerns about the very safety of the road on which cars often lurch and swerve dangerously to avoid the huge drops. Avoiding them though seems to be getting more difficult by the day.

The road originally belongs to PWD but since work on the underpass started in 2008, maintenance of that portion has been handed over to DDA, but the matter seems to have fallen on a blind spot of the latter. ``The chief engineer has told me an inspection has been done and the road will be repaired soon. There may have been some damage because of the rains. But you must understand that only the part of the road where the underpass is being constructed is under us,'' said DDA spokesperson Nemo Dhar.

Some potholes are threefour feet in diameter, and of depth up to two feet. There is no part of the road that does not have potholes and inevitably traffic from Kalindi Kunj comes to a crawl here. ``The road was bad but since the rains started it has become completely unmotorable. The craters are now filled with water so you cannot even judge how deep it is. You can just drive in the first gear and hope that the car does not get damaged,'' said resident Kailash Aggarwal.

The underpass construction has added to the misery as it has narrowed the road space. The construction will continue, Dhar said, into next year. ``The delay was because of a overhead high tension wire. That has been sorted but now there is a DJB line that needs to be shifted. That cannot happen because of the digging ban during monsoon,'' she said, obviously oblivious to the rampant violation of the ban all over the city.

For Sarita Vihar though there are more problems. The stretch of Mathura Road right after the Apollo flyover is well on its way to becoming another road 13A and what's more it is a national highway. ``It is as if there is a systematic effort to stop people from leaving or entering the colony'', said resident Divya Sharma.

सिकंदरपुर बढ़ा गांव के महेश , ब्रह्मपाल , पन्ना लाल , हरफूल सिंह , राजपाल सिंह , अमर सिंह , हरीचंद ने बताया कि नए डिवेलप किए जाने वाले सेक्टर -85 की 24 मीटर रोड के बीच में कॉलोनी के दर्जनों मकान आ रहे हैं। उन्होंने बताया कि स्टेट गवर्नमेंट की ओर से उन्हें यह मकान अलॉट किए गए थे। नक्शा बनाते समय अधिकारियों ने इसका सर्वे नहीं किया। अब इसका खमियाजा उन्हें भुगतना पड़ रहा है। उन्होंने ऐडमिनिस्ट्रेटर से मांग की है कि 24 मीटर रोड को शिफ्ट किया जाए।

Giving information regarding the routes and preparations for Queen’s Baton Relay today,the State Minister for Home, Industries and Sports, Mr Gopal Kanda said that overloaded vehicles would not be allowed to ply on the roads to check accidents during Queen’s Baton Relay. All the Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, Secretary, RTA and all the officers of the Transport Department in the State have been directed to install CCTV cameras and High Mask Lights at crowded and sensitive areas, shopping complexes and bus stands.

The officers of the Health Department had also been asked to keep ambulances and emergency health services standby at all the routes from where Queen’s Baton Relay would pass, he added.

The Minister said that the concerned officers have already been directed to give priority to repair and strengthen all roads from where Queen’s Baton Relay would pass. Adequate supply of drinking water and electricity would be ensured during the Commonwealth Games.

Fool-proof security arrangements had been made in the National Capital Region in view of these games. Adequate number of trained police officers and officials equipped with modern equipments have been deputed in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Palwal and Rewari, he added.

Mr Kanda said that Queen’s Baton Relay would reach Dabwali in district Sirsa via Rajasthan on September 26 and it would be accorded State level welcome at village Chautala. He himself would welcome Queen’s Baton Relay at village Chautala. Hundreds of well-established and distinguished persons and national and international sportspersons would participate in the Queen’s Baton Relay. Queen’s Baton Relay would be halted at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium, Sirsa at the night of September 26, where colourful cultural programmes would be organised, he added.   

While stating this here today, a spokesman of Public Works (B&R) Department said that the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda had given his approval to the plan.

He said that National Highway No.73-A, which is the only National Highway in the State having (section of 11.980 kms from RD 33.900 to 45.880) the carriage way width less than two lanes, would be widened to two lanes at an estimated cost of Rs 16.80 crore.

He said that the 10 proposals for four laning of important reaches of five National Highways mainly in portions of cities having a total length of 45.35 kms involving a cost of Rs 149 crore had also been made. Four proposals of 13.625 kms costing Rs 58.30 crore, which were previously taken in the approved plan for the year 2009-10, but the estimates of those had not been sanctioned till now, had also been included in this plan, he added.

The spokesman said that construction of four bypasses at Fatehabad, Julana, Lakhan Majra and Kaithal on three National Highways comprising a total length of 34.750 kms at an estimated cost of Rs 183.25 crore had also been proposed in this plan.

Source: www.indianews.org.in Rs 774.10 crore for strengthening of National Highways in Haryana

Commuters feel this problem is due to the absence of cloverleaves at certain places and improper management of service lanes. "I think the present scenario will lead to a big mess in another few years. If the Gurgaon administration does not take note of it, those living in Gurgaon would have no choice but to sell their properties and go elsewhere," said S. K.Chaudhary, a former Delhi police official who lives in NewGurgaon.

"My house is close to IFFCO Chowk, but it takes 45 minutes from the toll to reach home as the service lanes are choked,," he added. He has written to the Gurgaon police to take up the issue with the government and the national highway authority.

Several associations, however, have written to the government to either construct cloverleaves at appropriate places or create service lanes with slip roads.

In the past few months, owing to media pressure and the forthcoming Commonwealth Games the Gurgaon authorities have woken up and claim to have chalked out some plan to smoothen the traffic movement on the Expressway.

"We have involved NHAI officials in this regard and will be coming up with some solution very soon," said Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner,Rajender Kataria

Sources said though the issues taken up have been festering for a long time, it was only on August 6 that NHAI shot a 13-page letter to DSC Ltd, giving it 30 days to address the issues. TOI has a copy of the letter.

NHAI chairman Brijeshwar Singh said: ``The letter has been sent to the developer since there are instances of provisions of the concession agreement not being followed. This is done in case of other projects too.'' Asked whether this meant they could take some extreme step if the issues were not resolved, Singh said, ``Before taking the extreme step, we usually send a final notice to a private developer. At present, it is not the case.''

The letter, said sources, was issued after the NHAI received numerous complaints against the operation of this 27-km expressway and a report was submitted by a parliamentary committee on public undertakings (CoPU). The house panel had questioned how NHAI had issued a completion certificate to the concessionaire despite the project not complying with provisions laid down in the concession agreement.

The letter issued by the project general manager mentions among other things alleged change in the composition and percentage of shareholding in the consortium, under-reporting of tolled vehicles (also mentioned in COPU report) and failure in collection. It points out that though the agreement clearly mentions that the consortium members are required to maintain their Aggregate shareholding, one of the members, Jaiprakash Industries Ltd, has exited from the project consortium without written approval of the NHAI.

Source: Times Of India By Dipak Kumar Dash Gurgaon e-way operator put on notice

Talking to Times City, Vinayak Deshpande, president and COO of Hindustan Construction Company (HCC), which is building the flyover, said, "We don't want to open the elevated stretch until all work is completed. We want to open a safe flyover.'' He added that though the deadline for the project is December 2010, the company wanted to warp it up by October 1.

In fact, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had brought it under the list of projects related to Commonwealth Games for speedy implementation of the elevated corridor. "It will be ready just ahead of the Games,'' claimed a senior NHAI official. HCC is constructing the corridor under BOT (toll) model it will maintain and collect toll for 20 years.

The Badarpur-Faridabad six-lane elevated highway is being built at a cost of Rs 340 crore. Earlier, NHAI officials had told highway minister Kamal Nath that the two main carriageways could be made operational by August-end. However, Deshpande said it would not be desirable to open the stretch without completing the finishing work.

Source: Times Of India Flyover at Badarpur to open in Oct

She said these two high-speed corridors will significantly decongest internal roads of outbound traffic and trucks in the cities it would be passing through. All efforts, including increasing manpower, supervisory staff and additional machinery, should be made to ensure speedy completion of the two expressways both 135-km long, Gulati told a meeting here. She also called for close monitoring of the project and to convene monthly meetings to oversee the progress, an official spokesman quoted her as saying.

Gulati also directed the concessionaire to submit a detailed programme for completion of the balance work along with action plans to cover up the shortfall. For three RoBs on Delhi Ambala section, RoB on Delhi Rohtak Railway Line and Delhi Rewari Railway Line, the concessionaire had submitted all the drawings to the Railways and the latter had approved them, the spokesman said.

इस परियोजना पर करीब 347 करोड़ रुपये की लागत आएगी। हुडा व डीएलएफ कंपनी संयुक्त रूप से इस परियोजना को पूरा करेंगी। यह योजना पूरी होने के बाद शंकर चौक, डीएलएफ तीन, दो, नाथूपुर, गुड़गांव महरौली रोड पर सिकंदरपुर चौक इलाका, डीएलएफ फेस वन, एमएलएल फ्लैट, सेक्टर 42, 43, 27, 28, सनसिटी, सेक्टर 56 आदि क्षेत्रों के लोगों का सफर सुहाना हो जाएगा। निर्माण लागत में पचास प्रतिशत हिस्सेदारी हुडा व इतनी ही डीएलएफ की होगी।

योजना के मुताबिक दिल्ली-गुड़गांव एक्सप्रेस वे के शंकर चौक पर पहला फ्लाईओवर बनेगा। इससे साइबर पार्क क्षेत्र को ट्रैफिक जाम से मुक्ति मिलेगी। यहां डीएलएफ फेस तीन से सिकंदरपुर तक आ रही सड़क का चौड़ीकरण भी होगा। दोनों ओर सर्विस लेन बनेगी। इससे आगे गुड़गांव महरौली रोड पर स्थित सिकंदरपुर चौक पर अंडरपास बनेगा। ब्रिस्टल चौक से डीएलएफ गोल्फ होते हुए सेक्टर 56 तक एमएलए फ्लैट-सेक्टर 42 चौक पर फ्लाईओवर बनेगा और इससे आगे जेनपेक्ट चौक पर अंडरपास बनेगा। योजना पूरी होने के बाद गुड़गांव महरौली रोड, फरीदाबाद रोड सीधे दिल्ली-गुड़गांव एक्सप्रेस वे से जुड़ जाएंगे। साइबर सिटी की दोनों मुख्य सड़कों फरीदाबाद रोड व एमजी रोड पर सफर करने वालों को ट्रैफिक जाम से मुक्ति मिलेगी। इस परियोजना को देख रहे हुडा के अधीक्षण अभियंता वीके गुप्ता ने कहा कि हुडा व डीएलएफ ने मैमोरंडम आफ अंडरस्टैंडिंग (एमओयू) को मंजूरी के लिए प्रदेश सरकार के पास भेज दिया गया है। सरकार से मंजूरी मिलने के बाद दो साल में परियोजना पूरी हो जाएगी। उन्होंने कहा कि फ्लाईओवर व अंडरपास के अलावा करीब छह किलोमीटर लंबे इस क्षेत्र में दोनों ओर सर्विस लेन भी बनेगी। फ्लाईओवर व अंडरपास तीन लेन के होंगे। शंकर चौक से सिकंदरपुर चौक, डीएलएफ गोल्फ कोर्स, सेक्टर 56 तक करीब छह किलोमीटर लंबा एरिया इस परियोजना के अंतर्गत आता है।

The work on the widening of the Gurgaon-Faridabad Road from the existing two lanes to 4 lanes has begun.

To be a tolled road, for which about 6,800 trees along the 12 km Gurgaon-Faridabad Road have been chopped off in the Faridabad stretch, 2,600 more trees on the Gurgaon side are to be felled by the Haryana Forest Development Corporation for the work from Gurgaon side to begin.

Reliance Infrastructure had bagged this BOT (Build, Operate and Transfer) project of four laning of the highway along with the widening and strengthening of BallabhgarhSohna road with concession period 17 years at Rs 780 crore.

It was the first of its kind road project on BOT basis undertaken by the Public Works (Building and Roads) Department of the Haryana government.

For improvement or upgradation, both bituminous and concrete pavements, would be provided. In addition, some links of the roads like MCF road, crusher zone road and Pali Bakhri road will be improved as a part of scope of work. The total length of roads covered under the project would be 66 km.

Even though it would be a toll road, certain categories of vehicles would be exempted from payment of toll. These vehicles include two wheelers, tractor trolley carrying agricultural produce, defence vehicles, ambulances and funeral vans, police vehicles, fire-fighting vehicles, etc.

While stating this here today, a spokesman of Public Works Department (Building and Roads) Department said that the State Government had taken up construction of ROBs on a large scale to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the State. Out of 55 ROBs sanctioned by the Government of India, 19 ROBs had already been opened to traffic since April 2005 at a cost of Rs 334 crore. During last year, seven ROBs were constructed and at present , 10 ROBs were being constructed at a cost of Rs 244.56 crore.

The Department had also got sanctioned road projects worth Rs 1786.29 crore from NCR Planning Board, which included 21 road projects involving an investment of Rs 1585.02 crore having a length of 623.53 kms and nine ROBs involving a cost of Rs 201.27 crore, he added.

He said that the Department maintained a total of 26,870 kms of roads, out of which 952 kms length was of National Highways, 2522 kms length of State Highways, 1471 kms length of Major District Roads and 21,415 kms long Other District Roads. The Department was making all out efforts to provide good roads in the State. The focus of the Department was to develop roads connecting district headquarters, developing routes to avoid Delhi and to develop robust North-South and East-West Corridors within Haryana.

The spokesman said that in order to overcome fund constraints, the State Government had taken steps to attract public private partnership in road sector. The work of improvement of Gurgaon-Faridabad road and Ballabhgarh-Pali-Dhauj-Sohna road had already been awarded on Built-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis. The other roads, which have been identified to be taken up on BOT basis, include Bhiwani-Dadri-Mahendragarh-Narnaul-Nangal Chaudhary Kotputli road, four laning of Yamunanagar-Ladwa section of State Highway, North-South-East-West Corridor, Bye-pass at Farukhnagar and Kalanaur, four laning of Bahadurgarh-Jhajjar road, widening and strengthening of Uttar Pradesh Border to Panipat-Safidon-Jind road up to Panipat district boundary.

With one-third of the total road space on the roads leading to Games venues being reserved for the athletes, officials fear that it would aggravate the situation of traffic jam on the capital roads.

According to Delhi Traffic Police, the marking of the segregated lanes has to be completed by August 15, immediately after which trials will be conducted. The traffic mess is likely to be more on the roads like Kamal Ataturk Marg and Sardar Patel Marg where half the road area will be restricted for general commuters as these are two-lane roads.

Special Advisor to Delhi Government on CWG Ramesh Narayanswami has recently directed to expedite the marking of the lanes in order to segregate it from rest of the lanes. The painting of the lanes in blue colour is being carried out by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ajay Chadha said that August 15 is the deadline for marking of the games lanes. "As soon the work is over trails will be started. The trial will be completed by September 15, well ahead of the Commonwealth Games scheduled from October 3," Chadha said.

Source: The Pioneer By Rakesh Ranjan Trial on Games lanes from mid-August

नित्य नई-नई योजनाएं बनाने वाले नगर निगम ने अब जाम से निपटने के लिए प्लानिंग शुरू कर दी है। इसी कड़ी में वह बाटा चौक से सुखराली कम्युनिटी सेंटर के आगे तक यानी इफ्को चौक से ठीक कुछ पहले डेढ़ किलोमीटर फ्लाईओवर बनाया जाएगा। फ्लाईओवर बनने के बाद बस स्टैंड से इफ्को चौक तक पांच-सात मिनट ही लगेंगे। अभी जाम के कारण वाहन चालाकों आधा-आधा घंटा लगता है। इस परियोजना के लिए निगमायुक्त व चीफ इंजीनियर ने मौके का जायजा लिया। हालांकि इस प्रोजेक्ट को पूरा होने में अभी समय लगेगा।

महाराणा प्रताप चौक पर सबसे अधिक जाम लगता है। यहां बस स्टैंड, अतुल कटारिया चौक, इफ्को चौक सहित एक्सप्रेस वे की ओर का ट्रैफिक आता है। इसके बाद यहां जाम की स्थिति पैदा हो जाती है। इसी के चलते निगम यहां फ्लाईओवर बनाने की प्लानिंग कर रहा है। निगमायुक्त आरके खुल्लर का कहना है कि इसका नक्शा व एस्टीमेट बनाने के निर्देश दे दिए गए हैं। यह तैयार होते ही इसे स्वीकृति के लिए सरकार के पास भेजा जाएगा। यह योजना पूरी होने पर एमजी रोड का यातायात सुगम हो जाएगा।

The proposed 150etre wide and 18-km-long orthern Peripheral Road PR) Expressway is finally set take off. The expressway was uck in a legal wrangle between e government and the people hose houses needed to be emolished to construct it.

The Haryana government as formally approved a budgof Rs 132 crore for the projt that was envisaged along ith the 16-km-long Southern eripheral Road (SPR) in the aster Plan 2021 notified three ars ago in 2007.

The NPR is the widest pressway of the country.

The Haryana Urban evelopment Authority UDA) officials said since 14 m of the total NPR stretch was igation-free, the work on it ould start first at a budget of s 67 crore.

"After having received a een signal on the project for budget of Rs 132 crore, we ould soon float tenders for the -km patch," said a senior UDA official.

He said the work on the rest 4-km stretch will start later hen the litigation on it and the sputes with the property owns was resolved.

The Haryana government as already released hundreds residential and commercial rojects to private developers.has also taken about Rs 4,000 ore of external development harges from them for providg master infrastructure such roads, sewerage and drainage stem for the new projects.

Source: Hindustan Times By Sanjeev Ahuja No More Road Blocks: Expressway Work Finally Set To Start

निगम कमिश्नर आर. के. खुंगर ने बताया कि राणा प्रताप चौक से इफ्को चौक तक फ्लाईओवर और महाबीर चौक पर फुटओवर ब्रिज के लिए डीपीआर बनाने का काम शुरू कर दिया गया है। ये बेहद व्यस्त चौक हैं। गुड़गांव की लगभग 12 लाख की आबादी और लाखों वाहनों के कारण यहां की सड़कों पर बुरा हाल रहता है। जाम के कारण लोगों को भारी परेशानी का सामना करना पड़ता है। सेक्टर-14, राणा प्रताप चौक-सुखराली होकर इफ्को चौक और फिर हाइवे होकर दिल्ली जाने वाले वाहन चालकों का जाम के कारण काफी वक्त बर्बाद होता है।

Traffic on many arterial roads in the Capital was hit by water-logging and vehicles stalled by water entering the engines. Ring Road was undoubtedly the worst hit, with Brar Square, Wazirabad, Majnu Ka Tila, Hanuman Setu, ISBT, Moti Bagh, Aurobindo Marg, Vikas Marg, Rajouri Garden, Pitam Pura, Madhuban Chowk and Punjabi Bagh reporting very slow traffic movement till about 2 pm.

"The traffic situation worsened once too much water entered the roads," said Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Satyendra Garg. In fact, traffic came to a complete standstill outside Chhattrasal Stadium, under the Moolchand flyover, on the Ashram-DND flyover, Nangal Dairy in Delhi Cantonment, outside the CISF picket near Indira Gandhi International Airport's Terminal 2, near the DTC bus stand in Jaronda Kalan and outside Majnu Ka Tila police station.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi, on its part, maintained that unlike the previous occasions, flooded areas were promptly attended to and quickly drained. The civic body, which faced flak after heavy rains on July 12 caused havoc on roads, said all zonal deputy commissioners, chief engineers and other officers were out in the areas un der their jurisdiction supervising the field-level staff operating the pumps.

The MCD received 112 complaints of water-logging on Tuesday, mostly from Rohini, West and South zones. It received 17 complaints of fallen trees and three complaints of building collapse. In the City zone, there were com plaints of water-logging from Pragati Maidan, Yamuna Bazar, Jama Masjid to Lal Quila Marg, Mathura Road, Delhi Gate and Chandni Chowk.

Gurgaon, where of late citizens are becom late citizens are becom ing all too familiar with the sinking feeling, was in no way better off.

Source: The Indian Express Skies open, roads shut down

This agency's study will help the ministry decide whether to construct four flyovers and one subway or a single elevated six-lane track above the expressway.

There is just one subway on the entire nine-km stretch, forcing pedestrians to risk their lives by crossing the road on foot. The total length of the expressway between Rao Tula Ram Marg (New Delhi) and 42nd Milestone Toll Plaza near village Kherki Daula (Gurgaon) is 27.7 km.

There are nine flyovers, only two subways and a mere four foot over bridges (FOBs) on the entire stretch.

The National Highway Authority of India's (NHAI) chief general manager R.K. Singh said his department had suggested two options for providing crossover facilities on the stretch.

"The first included building four flyovers and one subway, for Rs 300 crore. Another option is to construct an elevated 6-lane track on the whole stretch, allowing local traffic to use it for crossover and other purposes. This would amount to Rs 900 crore," he said.

sanjeev.ahuja@hindustantimes.com

At present, the four-laned road from Ghaziabad border to Dasna is one of the most congested NH corridors in the country. Ministry officials said the Rs 300-crore widening project, that may take three years for completion, would make this stretch almost signal-free.

Unlike the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway, the four-laned road from Ghaziabad border to Dasna will not be converted into a toll road even after the widening work is completed. Ministry officials said this decision was taken bearing in mind that a large section of the traffic using this stretch is local. Officials expect traffic on this road to grow in view of increased occupancy in residential areas along NH-24.

``This will be a cash contract project and we are hopeful of awarding it in the next one month. We have consciously decided not to follow the public private partnership (PPP) model. We felt that there would be strong opposition if we made it a toll road,'' said a top ministry official. He added that under the scheme, the existing road will be widened and there is a provision of constructing elevated structures as well.

Source: Times Of India Highway to Hapur to be eight-laned