Punes Traffic Woes Continue Despite Road Widening Mass Transit Emphasized
The Delhi government has announced ambitious plans for an elevated corridor over the 55-kilometre Inner Ring Road, aiming to provide high-speed, toll-based access and ease chronic traffic bottlenecks. This significant infrastructure project, currently in its early stages, is envisioned to operate on a public-private partnership model, with a revenue structure based on toll collection. The Public Works Department (PWD) has been tasked with appointing a consultant and preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to move the initiative forward.
The elevated corridor is estimated to cost between Rs 5,500 crore and Rs 6,000 crore, designed to offer signal-free mobility above the existing road. It will operate as a dual-layer system to effectively segregate local traffic from through-traffic. The necessity for this project stems from the Inner Ring Road’s current inability to cope with the capital’s explosive growth; originally designed as a bypass for a much smaller city, it now contends with over 30 million people in the Delhi-NCR region and more than 1.4 crore vehicles registered in the capital alone.
Currently, the Inner Ring Road is plagued by numerous traffic signals, illegal parking, and chaotic service lanes, contributing to 12 of Delhi’s 134 worst congestion spots, including notorious areas like Ashram, Dhaula Kuan, Moolchand, and ITO, as per a 2024 Delhi Traffic Police Survey. The proposed elevated corridor, including interchanges, ramps, and loops, may extend up to 80 kilometres in total, aiming to integrate key connectors and significantly reduce conflict points across the network. While the project is viewed as a vital step toward modernizing Delhi’s burdened infrastructure, public opinion remains divided, with some hopeful for smoother commutes and others skeptical about its long-term impact.
This ambitious infrastructure project underscores Delhi’s commitment to tackling urban congestion and modernizing its transport network. While challenges remain, the elevated corridor aims to provide sustainable, high-speed connectivity, significantly improving daily commutes and supporting the capital’s continued growth and development.
