Dhaula Kuan-Gurgaon route faces constant traffic chaos

New Delhi is facing severe traffic congestion on a stretch of road leading to Gurgaon. Every evening at 5.30, drivers like autorickshaw driver Satish rush to cross this area before it becomes too congested. He notes that even a slight delay can trap him in frustrating traffic. After 6pm, he stops taking customers because the road becomes overwhelmed with airport passengers and office-goers. Siddhartha, a commuter, left Gurgaon for Noida because of the daily traffic chaos. His wife’s commute took five exhausting hours, and he found it easier to fly from Delhi to Mumbai than to reach the airport from Noida. He mentions that the roads are packed even at 7am, leading to vehicles trying to fit into any available space. This traffic nightmare has caught the attention of authorities. The Delhi chief secretary held a meeting to discuss solutions for decongesting the roads. A road safety committee was formed to study the issue and consider expert suggestions, with the Dhaula Kuan-Gurgaon area targeted for a pilot project. Social media is filled with frustrated comments from daily commuters. Many people are questioning why there is no permanent solution to the persistent jams, especially when this road sees about 500,000 vehicles daily. Reports indicate that at rush hour, traffic barely moves, with cars on a flyover designed for faster speeds crawling along at just 20 km/h. The root of the problem lies in poor road design at critical junctions. Areas like Shankar Vihar, Hotel Lohia, and Shiv Murti create bottlenecks where vehicles merging onto the main road disrupt traffic flow. Traffic police do their best to manage order, but without them, the roads would be chaotic. Proposals to create separate entry and exit lanes are under consideration, which could significantly reduce congestion. Experts point out that the volume of traffic is also a major factor, as many vehicles converge from multiple directions onto just three lanes. Further infrastructure improvements, such as an additional elevated road, are necessary to handle the growing traffic demand effectively.