Pedestrian safety measures missing on Gurgaon-Rajasthan highway

“We welcome that the road will be widened but since it will have more traffic,mostly trucks,the possibility of accidents may increase,” Ramesh Yadav of Sohna village said.

The widening work is expected to complete by year end.

The initial 7-km stretch is under HUDA after which the 88.69 km road till Haryana-Rajasthan border will be repaired by the Haryana State Road Development Corporation. The two-lane road is being widened to four lane till Nuh with a 7.5 metre carriageway on both sides.

“The highway has heavy traffic movement. hence it was decided to upgrade it on the pattern of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) where the work will be reviewed at regular intervals by consultants,” HSRDC project director R K Rathi said.

“We have the provision of an elevated road in front of a school at Dhunela village (after Bhondsi). Also,we have almost 15 m on both sides of the highway and if villagers demand FOBs,we can build them,” an HSRDC official said.

Except the elevate road,there is no other structure on the entire stretch. Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner Rajender Kataria said: “We have not received any request to build FOBs in the last 11 months. If required,we will see to it.”

Asked why HSRDC was not taking appropriate measures to ensure safety of pedestrians,Rathi said installing streetlights and constructing intersections and FOBs were matters to be dealt by the local bodies.