Delhi’s Public Works Department is considering a traffic study for the Sarai Kale Khan section of Ring Road, where congestion is expected to intensify as metro, railway and inter-state bus services converge at the same transport hub. A final decision on commissioning the study has not yet been taken.
A PWD official said the proposal was discussed after a recent meeting of a high-level coordination committee, where Delhi Traffic Police raised concerns about heavy traffic at Sarai Kale Khan. The study would examine how traffic movement through the area can be made smoother and what changes may be required on the road network.
The official said the pressure on the Sarai Kale Khan route could increase in the future because multiple transport systems are expected to merge at one location. “The possibility of traffic pressure increasing on the Sarai Kale Khan route in the future is high, as metro, rail and ISBT will merge at one point,” the official said, according to the report. The concerns raised by the traffic police were therefore being considered while discussing the study.
The PWD, which is the principal agency responsible for maintaining Delhi’s roads, has also been planning a traffic study for the wider southern Delhi network, including Sarai Kale Khan. Depending on the requirement, the department may hire an expert agency to identify the changes needed at the location, the official said.
Sarai Kale Khan functions as a major interchange for commuters travelling between central and southern Delhi and the National Capital Region. The Ring Road carries traffic between ITO and Ashram, while vehicles travelling from Noida and Ghaziabad towards southern Delhi also use the corridor. Movements between southern, eastern and northern parts of the city add to the volume passing through the area.
Traffic congestion has also been reported around the Ring Road near Sarai Kale Khan while infrastructure development work continues at the transport hub. The concentration of different modes at the site means that road traffic must interact with access movements linked to public transport facilities, creating a complex management challenge for the agencies responsible for roads, traffic regulation and transit infrastructure.
The recently approved Delhi Master Plan 2047 has also identified the need to address movement and congestion issues in the area. The plan proposes measures intended to improve pedestrian movement, including skywalks, subways and pedestrian bridges. These interventions are aimed at separating or organising pedestrian and vehicular movements around the busy interchange.
The proposed traffic study would determine whether further changes are needed on this section of Ring Road and across the wider southern Delhi network. The PWD has not yet announced whether an expert agency will be appointed or provided a timeline for the study.
