The Delhi Traffic Police has begun phased trials of alternative U-turns before a planned closure of the DND intersection on the Noida-Akshardham link road after Diwali, a move intended to ease congestion but likely to alter routes for commuters travelling between Delhi, Noida and eastern neighbourhoods.
According to a report by Live Hindustan – NCR, the traffic police is monitoring vehicle speeds, traffic volumes and pressure during peak hours at two U-turn locations. The final decision to close the intersection will be taken after the trial report is assessed, officials said.
The first phase is underway at the U-turn near Star City Mall in Mayur Vihar. Traffic officials are examining the movement of vehicles through the turn and checking whether motorists face difficulties while making the manoeuvre. The monitoring is also intended to establish how the U-turn performs when traffic volumes rise during peak periods.
A second phase is scheduled to begin next week at an existing U-turn near the DND intersection. This U-turn is being reorganised to enable a larger number of vehicles to turn with fewer movement conflicts. The traffic police plans to continuously monitor both locations until Diwali before determining whether the intersection can be closed completely.
If the closure proceeds, vehicles arriving from Noida and the DND side and travelling towards the Crown Plaza Hotel, Ghazipur Road, New Ashok Nagar, Chilla village, Trilokpuri and Vasundhara Enclave will have to use the Star City Mall U-turn. The diversion will change how traffic currently moving through the intersection reaches neighbourhood roads in east Delhi.
Vehicles coming from New Ashok Nagar and Trilokpuri towards the DND and Akshardham sides will instead be directed to the older U-turn near the DND intersection. The arrangement will therefore divide movements between two turning points rather than allowing vehicles to pass through the existing intersection.
The proposed change reflects a common traffic-management approach in dense urban corridors: replacing a conflict-heavy intersection with controlled turning movements. Its effectiveness will depend on whether the U-turns can absorb traffic during peak hours without creating queues that spill back onto the link road or nearby local streets. The supplied report does not provide projected traffic volumes, lane capacities or a fixed date for the permanent closure.
The trial is also significant for commuters who use the DND route as a connection between Delhi and Noida. Any change in turning patterns will affect route choice, travel time and access to residential areas and local roads around Mayur Vihar, New Ashok Nagar, Trilokpuri and Vasundhara Enclave.
The Delhi Traffic Police is expected to take a final decision after reviewing the monitoring report from the two U-turns following the Diwali-period trial. Until then, traffic movement at the DND intersection will continue to be assessed as the alternative arrangement is tested.
