POOR ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE AND SHORTAGE OF TRAFFIC POLICE PERSONNEL MAJOR CAUSE OF TRAFFIC INDISCIPLINE AND LACK OF TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT IN DELHI.
New Delhi: Inadequate and poor road infrastructure is a major contributor to traffic indiscipline in Delhi. Factors like poorly designed junctions, narrow roads, inadequate maintenance, and encroachments hinder traffic flow and contribute to a chaotic driving environment.
“Road infrastructure in the National capital has only doubled since the year 1981 while vehicular traffic has increased 21 times since then. At present Delhi has about 1.5 crore vehicles Major causes of traffic congestion in Delhi include a substantial increase in the number of vehicles, inadequate growth of road infrastructure, mixed traffic conditions, and an insufficient traffic police force ” said Ms Monika Bhardwaj , Additional Commissioner of Police , Traffic , Zone -1 while delivering a lecture on Why is it not successful in achieving Correction in Behavior of Road Users ?” organised by the India chapter of the International Road Federation (IRF) a global road safety body working for safer roads worldwide.
“The other factors for long traffic snarls on Delhi roads are because of limited road availability, old road engineering, poor signages and markings, encroachments and illegal parking on road sides. A coordinated effort is needed from the police, Delhi government, and civic agencies to clear up the growing traffic mess in the national capital. It is an irony that the state PWD does not have a separate division for signages and road markings “ Ms Bhardwaj said.
“During the year 2024 about 75 lakh challans were issued for traffic violations and for the past five years this figure has been constant going by the vehicle population of 1.5 crore in the capital it means each vehicle has been challaned thrice . Out of 1.5 crore vehicles about 55-60 lakh vehicles have crossed end of life but are still running on Delhi roads. Delhi traffic police will be focusing on these vehicles in the coming days.’ She said,
“we have identified poor road signages and markings and are in talks with the PWD and other civic authorities for improving them. The major problem is the new codes and protocols for signages and markings are coming up very fast which confuse the concerned authorities and the commuters plus changing and rectifying signages is an expensive affair.” She added.
“Inconsistent enforcement is also a major cause of traffic indiscipline as Delhi has only 4000 traffic policemen who join the force with just Two week training . Most of them are put on various duties with different priorities including VIP movement, festivals etc. Despite the age of invisible enforcement Delhi does not have an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) .Lok Adalat’s another hindrance in disciplining traffic violators as they are let off with small fines. This leads to normalisation towards traffic violations which should go ” she said.
“India accounts for more than 11 per cent of total global road accidents the International Road Federation (IRF) as part of its effort to reduce road accident deaths is focusing on 5 E’s of road safety including road Engineering, Vehicle Engineering , Education, Enforcement and Emergency care “ said Mr Akilesh Srivastva, President, IRF , India chapter.
Others who were present on the occasion Included Mr. Gurpreet Singh Basra, Business Unit Head-Traffic & Transit, Mr P.K Sikdar, Advisor IRF and Mr Manoranjan Parida, Director, CRRI.
