With Metro work set to start,Janpath traffic plan rejigged

Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Satyendra Garg said,“We will try to keep the disruption minimal. As the area sees significant traffic movement,we will be putting up adequate signage,along with issuing traffic advisories.”

It is an important stretch and many things had to be kept in mind while making the plan. It is still under consideration and last minute changes are likely,police said. “We had to keep in mind the capacity of the stretches and density of traffic flow before chalking out the plan. Demonstrations always happen at Jantar Mantar,while Janpath road is always very busy. During peak hours,there is heavy flow of traffic in these areas. We made this plan keeping all that in mind,” Garg said.

Traffic will mainly be diverted from Windsor Place via Ferozshah Marg and Kasturba Gandhi Marg to Connaught Place. Vehicles from Connaught Place to Windsor Place will either go through Kasturba Gandhi Marg or Sansad Marg. “Vehicles going from South Delhi to Connaught Place will have to take alternative routes,” he added.

Apart from that,Tolstoy Marg will be kept open for light vehicles on Janpath. Buses coming from the south will be routed through Rail Chowk,Sansad Marg. Buses coming from Connaught Place will not be allowed onto Janpath,but will have to set their route via Kasturba Gandhi Marg and Ferozshah Road,police said.

The construction work is expected to take around two years. During that period,people will be allowed to park their vehicles near Western Court and Imperial Hotel,and walk towards their destination.

The police also said as the length of the blocked road is less,fewer Traffic Police personnel will be deployed on the stretch. However,DMRC will be deploy some of its marshals to help Traffic Police manage the situation.

Construction work on the Janpath and Mandi House Metro stations is slated to start as soon as the traffic diversions are implemented. The stations are part of the upcoming Central Secretariat-Kashmere Gate corridor of Phase III,slated to be completed by early 2015. Construction work on the Central Secretariat-Mandi House stretch will be taken up first,and the rest of the corridor (from Mandi House to Kashmere Gate) will be taken up after receiving approval from the National Monument Authority,considering that it falls under the regulated zone of Centrally protected monuments.