- By News Desk
- Tue, 16 Sep 2025 03:47 PM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
Authorities are once again considering a redesign of Rajiv Chowk, Gurugram's busiest and most problematic intersection, after recent modifications failed to solve chronic traffic congestion. The intersection, where traffic from seven directions converges, has long been the city's biggest bottleneck and previous attempts to streamline the flow of vehicles have not yielded results.
Recently constructed traffic islands, intended to improve the intersection, have instead worsened the situation. According to an audit by the Gurugram Traffic Police, the islands were built too wide, leaving roads dangerously narrow for the high volume of vehicles.
Official Push for Redesign
In response to the persistent traffic pressure, the engineering wing of the traffic police recently conducted a survey and prepared an audit report. The findings were presented at two separate road safety meetings and were also discussed with Cabinet Minister Rao Narbir. In these meetings, officials emphasised the urgent need to modify the chowk's design.
The traffic police have proposed a complete overhaul, but key decisions remain pending. "It is yet to be finalised in the upcoming meeting whether the NHAI or the GMDA will redesign it," a traffic police official stated. "A decision will also be taken on whether to rebuild it based on the old design or create a new one."
Poorly Designed Islands Worsen Bottlenecks
The engineering team's report identified several critical design flaws in the current layout:
Reduced Road Space: The poorly designed islands have significantly reduced the carriageway width, making vehicle movement difficult, especially on the route towards Sohna Road.
Improper Turning Radius: The turning radius of the islands does not conform to standard engineering guidelines, causing problems for turning vehicles.
Unsafe For Pedestrians: The islands are frequently used by pedestrians as waiting areas, even though they are not safely designed for this purpose.
Dangerous Road Narrowing: The report highlighted a severe bottleneck for traffic heading from Delhi towards Sohna. The road width dangerously decreases in stages from 13.8 meters to 9.6 meters, and then to a mere 6.72 meters, before merging into a 7.6-meter section. This sudden reduction leads to severe congestion and unsafe merging conditions.
Also Read: Chatra Corruption Case: Ex-BDO Found Guilty, Faces Lifetime Pension Deduction By 20%
Widespread Violations Compound The Problem
The audit also found numerous traffic violations at Rajiv Chowk that contribute to the chaos:
- Illegal stopping for passenger pickup and drop-off.
- Rampant wrong-way driving.
- Encroachment on roads by street vendors and illegally parked vehicles.
- The absence of a dedicated lane for auto-rickshaws, which causes them to block traffic and create congestion on the road leading towards the Mini Secretariat.
Confirming the ongoing discussions, DCP Traffic Dr Rajesh Mohan stated, "The traffic engineering wing found some shortcomings in the survey. Based on this, the issue was raised in the recent road safety meeting. A change in the design of Rajiv Chowk is under consideration. However, it has not yet been decided whether the GMDA or the NHAI will undertake the work. A conclusion on this matter may be reached in the upcoming meetings."