More than 34,000 traffic-rule violations are being recorded every hour at two busy South Delhi junctions, according to a recent study by the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), highlighting safety risks linked to driver behaviour and junction design.
The study examined traffic conditions at the Govindpuri intersection and the Kotla Mubarakpur junction. It found that approximately 26,000 vehicles pass through Govindpuri every hour, where an estimated 16,791 violations occur. At Kotla Mubarakpur, around 24,000 vehicles move through the junction hourly and approximately 17,931 violations are recorded.
The violations include jumping traffic signals, driving on the wrong side of the road and failing to maintain lanes. The report also links the worsening traffic situation in parts of Delhi to ongoing construction activity, which is affecting traffic movement and contributing to congestion at intersections and three-way junctions.
IRTE presented the findings at a recently held national seminar, where it raised concerns about unsafe road behaviour, road-safety challenges, delivery-related pressures and gaps in the existing legal and regulatory framework. The study focused specifically on the two South Delhi junctions, but the organisation said the figures point to broader safety concerns at busy intersections.
IRTE president Dr Rohit Baluja said authorities should identify risks before crashes occur instead of analysing them only after a collision has taken place. He called for traffic authorities and related departments to systematically examine near-misses, unsafe driving, potential collision points and other risky traffic conditions.
The warning signs identified by the organisation include dangerous overtaking, unsafe lane changes, inadequate gaps between vehicles and failure to respect the right of way. These behaviours, it said, can be measured and used to identify locations requiring intervention before a serious crash occurs.
IRTE said a scientific assessment of traffic risks could help authorities determine whether a junction needs improved traffic engineering, training for road users, stronger regulatory intervention or more targeted enforcement. The study did not announce a specific implementation plan for either Govindpuri or Kotla Mubarakpur.
The findings place the focus on how junction design, enforcement and road-user behaviour interact in high-volume parts of the capital. The next steps identified by IRTE are systematic monitoring of near-misses and unsafe manoeuvres, followed by decisions on engineering, training or enforcement measures where required.
