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habit
of taking long routes if the want to enjoy speed.
Motorists
will able to drive at 80-100 kmph, if not 120-200 kmph, once the
Expressway is opened for vehicular traffic by 2006 end. The drive
between Dhaula Kuan and Rajiv Chowk will reduce to 20 minutes.
The
27.7 km long stretch starting from Rao Tula Ram junction (in Delhi)
till the Haldiram outlet (in Gurgaon) is supposed to have eight
flyovers and five underpasses on it. Long route traffic will run on
the main carriageway (with no red light) using flyovers while local
vehicle will allowed using the service roads.
In
the present scenario when the Expressway is under construction, the
NHAI has given long diversions on this stretch, particularly at the
point where flyovers and underpasses are built. The locals crossing
over the highway to reach one colony from another are confronted
with long oval shaped u-turns because of the under construction
flyovers.
But
NHAI officials caution the motorists saying that after these
flyovers are ready, the diversions could be even longer than what
they are now. “If they want to enjoy speed on the Expressway, they
will have to cope with long diversions. To ensure speed on the
Expressway, the flyovers have been kept very long. This may cause a
little problem to the local motorists wanting to go from one side of
the town to another by crossing the highway,” said an NHAI
official.
He
said that though maximum precaution has been taken by constructing
underpasses for the pedestrians and local traffic, people should now
get used to long cuts. He gave the example of Delhi’s ring Road.
He said that a motorist wanting to reach Venkateshwara College from
Dhaula Kuan is required to drive six km because of the flyovers
only. “But the traffic on Ring Road has become smooth
otherwise,” he added
About
speed on the Expressway, the NHAI official said that motorists using
the Expressway after its completion would be able to drive at a
maximum speed of 80 kmph.
Giving
reasons, he said that this Expressway unlike the ones in Western
countries is made with a number of flyovers and lots of ups and
downs. “In Western countries, the Expressways are built generally
at grade (at ground level) but this one is passing through densely
populated colonies of Delhi and Gurgaon. Lots of flyovers and
underpasses were required making it uneven. Under the circumstances
the speed cannot be allowed to exceed 100 kmph,” he said.
By
Sanjay K. Ahuja (HT Gurgaon Live)
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