Cycle tracks & footpaths: MG Road stretch to be revamped in a year

Gurgaon: The city’s busy MG Road, which has several malls, offices and gated societies, may undergo a transformation by the first quarter of next year, with GMDA planning to complete streetscaping and development work along a 2.5km stretch of the road by then.
According to GMDA officials, the project will make the stretch between the Sikanderpur metro station and IFFCO Chowk safer and easier for pedestrians and cyclists to navigate through the construction of footpaths, cycle tracks and table-top crossings (raised crossings for pedestrians). In addition, the green areas along the stretch will be increased.
Footpaths along the stretch, where missing, will be constructed, and the existing footpaths will also be revamped. “MG Road is a very prominent location in the city since so many malls are located along it. Footfall along the stretch is very high, which is why we are planning to revamp the road to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists,” said a senior GMDA official.
Apart from over 10 malls, several offices and gated societies are located along the road, as well as two metro stations of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s Yellow Line.
As part of the project, the GMDA will also provide seating. Streetlights and signboards will be set up and road safety furniture such as bollards, rumble strips, and road studs will also be installed.
With work estimated to take seven months to complete, GMDA officials said they expect the stretch to be revamped by the first quarter of next year.
“We floated a tender for the project last week inviting bids for the work. If we manage to allot the work in the first round of tendering itself by June end, the stretch should be ready by the first quarter of 2023,” the official said.
The project was first proposed in a meeting of the core planning cell (CPC) of GMDA in October last year. At that time, while the CPC recommended the project, chief executive officer (CEO) Sudhir Rajpal had further directed officials to consult Raahgiri Foundation and obtain other public inputs as well regarding the work.
Speaking to TOI, Sarika Panda Bhatt, a design expert with Raahgiri Foundation, which has since worked with the GMDA on the project said, “This project will have all three kinds of benefits – social, economic and environmental. However, it is not just about one street, but about how we can actually create a network of such streets in Gurgaon, especially along transit corridors like the metro. Only then will we be able to enhance the usage of public transport.”
Residents and people who frequent the stretch welcomed the project but expressed concerns about its completion and the issues they may have to face while it is being executed.
“MG Road sees a lot of traffic. The haphazard movement of cyclists and pedestrians only adds to the chaos on the road. There is definitely a need for demarcated spaces for all modes of transportation, so that movement along the stretch is smoother and safer for everyone,” said Saurabh Gupta, a resident of DLF-1 whose office is located on MG Road.
“I only hope that the project is completed on a priority basis so that it meets the deadline. For this kind of work to be executed, it is a given that there will be some inconveniences that commuters will have to face, but it should be ensured that the time for which these have to be borne is as short as possible,” he added.