- By Akansha Pandey
- Wed, 17 Sep 2025 04:44 PM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
DeshBandhu Gupta Road in Delhi, a crucial seven-kilometer stretch connecting Ajmeri Gate to Dev Nagar, is plagued by severe and persistent traffic congestion, turning a 15–20 minute journey into a frustrating 50–60 minute ordeal. This long-standing problem has been neglected by both the former Aam Aadmi Party government and the current Bharatiya Janata Party government, despite being a well-known issue.
The Causes Of Congestion
The traffic jams on this route have multiple causes. The area around Pahar Ganj is particularly chaotic due to commercial activities. The roads and pavements are heavily encroached upon by goods being loaded and unloaded, as well as by vehicles parked haphazardly on the streets. This leaves little room for moving traffic and pedestrians, creating a constant bottleneck.
Further down the road, from the Rani Jhansi roundabout to Dev Nagar, the congestion is worsened by an excessive number of traffic lights. The route has a total of eleven traffic lights, including major intersections at:
- Ajmeri Gate Chowk
- Pahar Ganj traffic light
- Rani Jhansi roundabout
- Kalka Das Chowk
- Abdul Aziz Road traffic light
- PP Jewellers traffic light
- Acharya Ganesh Shastri Chowk
- Guru Ravidas Chowk
- Maharaja Agrasen Chowk
- Bhagwan Mahavir Chowk
- Agarwal Sweet Chowk
- Dev Nagar MCD Office turning
Adding to the chaos is the lack of traffic management and rule-breaking. E-rickshaws and other vehicles often drive against the flow of traffic, causing further jams. A low number of traffic police personnel on the ground means that rule-breakers act with little fear of consequences.
Proposed Solutions
The Delhi government has announced a plan to conduct a feasibility study for an elevated corridor over Deshbandhu Gupta Road, which is seen by experts as the most effective long-term solution.
Experts also suggest several immediate measures to alleviate the problem. Professor Sewaram, from the School of Planning and Architecture, recommends:
- Completely banning daytime loading and unloading of goods.
- Strictly enforcing a no-parking rule on the street.
- Increasing the number of traffic police at key intersections.
- Deactivating some traffic lights and creating U-turns to improve traffic flow.
Monika Bhardwaj, the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), stated that the department is aware of the issue and is working to address it by increasing the number of traffic police at major junctions and strictly enforcing "No Entry" rules.
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