CM halts BRT extension
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27/04/2008
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Tribune (New Delhi)
The bus rapid transit (BRT) system will not be extended on the first corridor till perfection is achieved. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit told this to RITES and officials concerned after a review meeting held at her residence today. RITES is carrying out the construction of the corridor. Expressing her government's commitment to provide comfortable ride to every user, Dikshit said that it would take a few more weeks. She said that feedback received from the first part of BRT project was more or less satisfactory in respect of cyclists, pedestrians and bus commuters whereas, car owners were not satisfied. The yardstick to access the success of BRT depends on the satisfaction of different users, she added. Dikshit also accepted the problems of car and two-wheeler users. She herself visited the corridor yesterday to have a feel of the issue. The service lane from Press Enclave to Outer Ring Road would be converted into parallel road. Another parallel road would be constructed within two or three months to provide relief to vehicle users. Besides, RITES has been instructed to construct at least two foot-over bridges (FOBs) to ensure safe passage to pedestrians including, children and senior citizens. Trained marshals would be deployed to help children and senior citizens cross the road. Goods carriage vehicles have been banned and blueline buses would be taken off the route from May 1. The transport commissioner has been appointed as the chief co-oridnating officer. He will review the situation on a daily basis. The Chief Minister stressed on the need of dissemination of education on lane discipline and better co-ordination among stakeholders. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been requested to contain stray cattle and hawkers off the corridor, which are obstacle to the traffic. The MCD has also been requested not to issue Teh Bazari on the route to ensure more smooth traffic for cyclists. Explaining the causes of traffic jam, Dikshit said that self-explanatory signage would be installed soon and calibration of traffic light would be done on the basis of the traffic. Operation of traffic light would also become automatic, which would go a long way in ensuring smooth flow of traffic. The motorized vehicle discharge at Chirag Delhi junction is a little higher and better now. Fourteen thousand three hundred vehicles crossed Chirag Delhi intersection between 6-7 p.m. on February 28, which increased to 14,700 on April 24 during same duration. Delhi transport minister Haroon Yusuf, chief secretary Rakesh Mehta, principal secretary to CM PK Tripathi, transport commissioner RK Verma, CMD DTC Ramesh Negi, CMD (DIMTS) SN Sahai, special commissioner (Delhi police) Neeraj Kumar, joint commissioner of police SN Srivastava, vice-president CMS C. Krishan Kumar, MD RITES VK Agarwal and Geetam Tiwari from IIT, Delhi were also present.