Gurugram: Expert committee recommends U-turn, cycle track at Hero Honda Chowk

Gurugram: An expert committee formed by the district administration on Saturday recommended the construction of a cycle track and a U-turn at the Hero Honda Chowk (HHC) on Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway to prevent people from driving on the wrong side of the road and to make it more accessible to everyone.

The committee, which was formed by deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav last month during a district road safety committee meeting, comprises representatives from the district administration, the Gurugram traffic police, and Raahgiri Foundation, an organisation that supports sustainable mobility.

The committee members and officials of Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) surveyed the junction earlier this week.

“During the survey, we realised that pedestrians and cyclists use this junction a lot. To safeguard as well as encourage more people to use a sustainable mode of transport, the committee recommended constructing a cycle track here,” said Ankita Chaudhary, sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), Gurugram.

According to a study conducted by Haryana Vision Zero (HVZ), the erstwhile road safety venture of the Haryana government, which assessed accident data from 2016 to 2020, the junction witnessed four pedestrian and cyclist fatalities annually (on average).

“We are preparing estimates for the cycle track. Accordingly, we will finalise a design and ask senior GMDA officials for approval,” said a GMDA official privy to the matter.

Driving on the wrong side of the road is a major issue at HHC, as the nearest U-turn is located nearly five kilometres away, just before the Kherki Daula toll plaza, for commuters travelling on the Delhi-Jaipur carriageway of National Highway 48. On the other carriageway, the next U-turn is located at Rajiv Chowk, nearly three kilometres from HHC.

“The National Highway divides Sector 33 into two. Even though the sector is located just 200-300 metres from HHC, residents have to go all the way to Rajiv Chowk and travel an extra six kilometres to get to one side of Sector 33 to the other. Hence, a lot of people drive on the wrong side of the road around this junction,” said Sarika Panda Bhatt, co-founder of Raahgiri foundation.

Bhatt said that the committee also sent a recommendation to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) saying a U-turn below the HHC flyover, which was closed when an underpass became operational in May 2018, be reopened.

The committee members also said the U-turn will be reopened on a trial basis.

“We will comply with the committee’s directions for reopening the exit on a trial basis. We have agreed to this verbally, and we are now waiting for a directive in writing,” said a senior NHAI official.