Thaindian News

New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS) Delhiites Tuesday morning had a tough time negotiating their way to offices as the traffic police conducted road trials on the exclusive Commonwealth Games lanes, leading to traffic jams during the peak hours.
The trials were scheduled for Monday evening and Tuesday morning, but those for Monday evening were called off due to a heavy downpour.

The Tuesday morning trials were conducted from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on four stretches - Chandgi Ram Akhada to Mall Road on the Ring Road, Ring Road-NH-24 to Ghazipur Crossing, Kalkaji Mandir-Ma Anandmayee Marg-Lal Kuan-MB Road and Suraj Kund Road, and SPM-Panchsheel to the RML Hospital via Mother Teresa Crescent.

M.S. Mansoori, general secretary of an auto-rickshaw union, said: “The Games lane trials are creating confusion on the roads. We get stuck in traffic jams during the peak hours. We cannot drop the school kids on time, passengers to railway stations get irritated while we are held up in traffic, even the shortcut routes are blocked by big cars and other vehicles.”

He said he was held up in a traffic jam on Mother Teresa Crescent road Tuesday morning. Many others complained of chaos on the roads.

Denying this, a traffic helpline official said: “Since morning, we had no complaints from the four stretches. The traffic flow was smooth in the city.”

Speaking about the lane trials, a Delhi traffic police official said: “The trials are conducted to make the commuters familiar with the traffic pattern and movement during the Games.”

The exclusive lanes to and from the sporting venues and airports will come into effect from Sep 20.

“Any commuter found driving in these lanes during the day or night will be penalised Rs.2,000 and their vehicles will be impounded,” the official added.