The need was felt way back in 1999 but the ball has been set rolling now. The 94-km high-speed corridor, Outer Ring Road, is expected to significantly ease burden on the existing road network within the city limits. To be thrown open for public use by 2019, the project is aimed at ending the conflict between highway and city traffic.
On a daily basis, bottlenecks are reported at 13 spots in the city due to converging of heavy vehicles and light motor vehicles.
Ring Road or National Highway 24A (the 17 km stretch between Bakshi Ka Talab and Chinhat) remains perennially choked. There are traffic snarls on Deva Road, Matiyari, Ismailganj, Munshipulia, Tedhipulia, Engineering College crossing, Madiaon and Bithauli several times a day.
The traffic burden is also felt on outskirts at Barabirwa (Alambagh), Dubagga (Thakurganj), Bani (Kan pur Road), Junabganj (Kanpur Road), Mohanlalganj (Rai Bareli Road), Khurdai Bazar (Sultanpur Road), Ahimamau (Sultanpur Road) and Dasauli (Kursi Road), where traffic movement is slowed. A study (Comprehensive Mobility Plan) conducted in 2012 showed that during peak hours, a commuter was only able to cover 15 km in an hour on 65% of the total road network in Lucknow. Situation in Old City is even worse with speed between 6 kmph and 9 kmph during peak hours.
The key objective of Outer Ring Road is to restrict entry of trucks, lorries and other heavy vehicles into the city .Lucknow is going to emerge as a major transit point on the 3,300 km-long East-West corridor which is being developed between Silchar (in Assam) and Porbandar (in Gujarat).
Apart from issues like unauthorised construction, haphazard parking on roadside, encroachment and poor enforcement, infrastructure in the city is unable to cater to growing urbanisation. The rate of vehicle growth in a year is at least three times the population growth. In Lucknow, the road surface is 7% of total city area. In Delhi, it is 21%.
No comments:
Post a Comment