NHAI’s answer to jaywalkers: Iron barriers

Ghaziabad: It’s a habit as old as the old four-lane road, NH-24, ran through these parts. The four lanes have now become 14, with a six-lane expressway running within this behemoth, and new underpasses to cross over. But nothing has deterred the jaywalkers, not the highway’s wide span, not the climb over a concrete verge, not the fear of onrushing vehicles.
But the new iron barriers might just do the job. Designed to dissuade the most resolute of jaywalkers, highway managers appear confident it makes the challenge of crossing the highway on foot an insurmountable one. The barriers – grilles clamped to the concrete verge – are being installed at three points notorious for jaywalking: Noida Sector 62, Shani Mandir near Chijarsi and Vijay Nagar. The barriers are 5-feet high and will be placed on 3-feet-high concrete slabs.
“The Delhi Meerut Expressway is an access-controlled highway with entry and exit points provided at eight spots — from Sarai Kale Khan to Meerut. However, the purpose of allowing unhindered passage on DME was defeated, especially near Sector 62, Chijarsi and Vijay Nagar where jaywalking is rampant,” said Mudit Garg, project director (NHAI), adding that this was prevalent “despite the NHAI having constructed foot overbridges (FOB) and pedestrian underpasses at all the spots”.
The iron barriers are being erected on 200m stretches on both sides of the DME. “The dividers with conical ends have a combined height of about 8 feet. This will make it impossible for pedestrians to cross it and will thus address the problem of jaywalking, which is not only dangerous for pedestrians but also hampers smooth vehicular movement on the expressway,” said Garg. “We already have made provision for a 100m skywalk, which in future will connect Noida’s Sector 62 metro station with the CISF side of DME. It will be constructed by the Noida Authority,” added Garg.
The FOBs are 82m long and 2.5m wide. They have 16m-wide ramps or staircases on both sides, while efforts are on to equip them with lifts. “We had given ample reasons for pedestrians to use them and avoid jaywalking. Nonetheless, they are not used. With the barricading, the pedestrians will now be forced to use them,” said Garg.
While the problem of jaywalking will likely be addressed now, the illegal parking of three-wheelers on the Noida and Ghaziabad side of DME remains a major problem, especially on the Noida Sector 62 side. Garg said he has written to the district magistrates of Noida and Ghaziabad to deal with the illegal parking menace. “We will allow only a limited number of three-wheelers on the highway. We have also suggested colour-coding of three-wheelers and only those would be allowed to ferry commuters on both sides,” said Garg.
The NHAI has also suggested to the two DMs that three-wheelers should be parked at least 100 metres away from the expressway.