Delhi Traffic Police is exploring temporary parking space for buses near SP Mukherjee Marg to reduce congestion on the Old Delhi corridor ahead of the festive and wedding seasons, while enforcement against illegal parking, wrong-side driving and roadside obstructions has been intensified.
The road connects Ring Road, Old Delhi Railway Station and Chandni Chowk and is currently handling goods carriers, private vehicles, buses, e-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws, handcarts and trolley trucks. Roadside parking, loading and unloading, and passenger pick-ups are further reducing the usable carriageway, according to the traffic police assessment.
Traffic officials are coordinating with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi deputy commissioner to examine National Club parking as a temporary location for buses. Local police and traffic officials inspected the stretch on Tuesday as part of efforts to identify measures that can address the festive-season surge as well as congestion throughout the year.
Buses have been identified as a major pressure point. Around 1,550 Delhi Transport Corporation buses operate on the Old Delhi Railway Station route, and entering designated stopping points can take about 10 minutes per bus, officials said. K Ramesh, deputy commissioner of police, Central Range, said the road was not wide enough to accommodate bus halts easily and that a study was needed to identify the main causes of congestion and develop solutions before the festive season.
The traffic survey also identified the approaches to Old Delhi Railway Station as a persistent problem area, with passengers and different types of vehicles stopping near the station. Unauthorised parking, roadside waiting and unregulated pick-ups and drop-offs are narrowing the road space available for moving traffic.
The adjoining wholesale markets add another layer of pressure. Handcart pullers frequently stop while goods are loaded, unloaded or temporarily kept on the roadside. Encroachments are also forcing pedestrians onto the carriageway. Hamilton Road has been identified as another bottleneck because of its narrow carriageway, heavy pedestrian movement and commercial activity.
SP Mukherjee Marg forms part of a wider corridor linking Kashmere Gate ISBT, Lothian Road, Pul Duffrin, Pul Mithai, Zorawar Singh Marg and Hamilton Road before returning to Kashmere Gate ISBT. Traffic spilling over from Netaji Subhash Marg and Mori Gate can add to congestion, with queues at one location affecting adjoining roads.
Delhi Traffic Police has stepped up action against parking violations, wrong-side driving and roadside obstructions. Officials are also sensitising merchants, shopkeepers and market associations against storing goods on roads. Motorcycle and crane patrols, wheel clamping and the removal of encroachments are being used on the corridor.
Over the last five days, police issued 1,917 challans for improper parking and 171 for wrong-side driving. They towed 206 vehicles, wheel-clamped 662 vehicles, removed 127 rehris and patris, and seized 15 vehicles along with three other articles. The next step is to assess the temporary bus-parking option with the MCD and determine measures for managing traffic during the approaching seasonal rush.
