Ashram to Badarpur: Why this 8 km Delhi stretch takes 45 mins instead of 15; Key reasons behind Mathura Road chaos
What's causing the chaos?
This stretch, part of National Highway 2 (NH2), carries over four lakh vehicles daily, rising to five lakh on Mondays and Fridays. After 9 pm, it's opened to heavy trucks entering or leaving Delhi, making things worse. The major reason behind the jams? Poor road design, with multiple cuts between the two carriageways causing heavy blockages.
Key trouble spots
Even before you leave Ashram, traffic starts to pile up. The underpass meant to ease flow is often blocked due to vehicles turning towards Lajpat Nagar and Sarai Kale Khan. Further down, junctions at Okhla, Mata Mandir Marg, CRRI, and Apollo Hospital remain choked, especially the one near the hospital, with traffic coming from all sides.
Failed fixes and long waits
Delhi Traffic Police tried easing the mess by closing cuts like the one at Madanpur Khadar. But cars are now forced to take long U-turns at flyovers, offering only minor relief. At the Okhla-New Friends Colony crossing, vehicles from the Modi Mill side and Jullena end up criss-crossing, leading to long queues even during green signals.
A TOI reporter noted that handcarts, wrongly parked vehicles, and fuel queues also eat up road space. CRRI expert S Velmurugan pointed out that the road lacks proper merging lanes and width consistency, making matters worse.
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A glimmer of hope?
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) may soon take over the road and turn it into a signal-free corridor, as per TOI. While Public Works Department (PWD) had proposed flyovers and underpasses back in 2017, the plan never materialised.
Experts suggest that just removing traffic lights won't help. A well-planned elevated road, with proper entry and exit points, may finally bring relief. CRRI scientist Nasim Akhtar added that flyovers at Okhla Mor and synchronised traffic signals are urgently needed.
Until a long-term fix arrives, however, Delhiites will continue to face this exhausting drive daily.
Inputs from TOI
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