AN APPRECIATION FOR AN ACTION PLAN TO IMPROVE ROAD TRAFFIC IN DELHI

AN APPRECIATION FOR AN ACTION PLAN TO IMPROVE ROAD TRAFFIC IN DELHI

By

Maj. Gen. V.K. Singh

1.         The state of road traffic in Delhi is well known and needs no emphasis. Almost 1800 people die due to road accidents in Delhi every year, with about 9000 suffering serious injuries. Incidents of road rage are reported almost daily, often leading to loss of life and limb. These accidents and incidents continue to occur, in spite of improvements and innovations such as construction of fly-overs and dividers, widening of roads, and installation of new traffic lights. The media dutifully reports these accidents, but no one seems to know what to do about it. The Traffic Police seems to watch helplessly as things go from bad to worse. Some people blame the road users, others say the road engineering is bad, a large number blame the Police. The only point on which everyone agrees is that there are too many cars. They are all are probably right, but only in part.

2.         I am convinced that the problem can be solved. As far as use of the roads is concerned, we are not only uneducated, but also downright illiterate. And that applies to everyone across the social and economic spectrum, from the jhuggi-dweller to the Page 3 types who live in bungalows and pent houses. And the problem is not too many cars – New York and Tokyo have a higher density of cars than Delhi but there are very few accidents.  Road engineering may be part of the problem, but is certainly not the PROBLEM. The roads in New Delhi – at least in the Lutyens Bungalow Zone – are good, but the traffic is still bad.

3.         The problem remains unresolved because everyone has been trying to find ‘solutions’ rather than identifying the ‘problems’. A viable solution can only emerge after an appreciation of the problem. Since the problem is grave – it involves human lives – it needs to be tackled on a war footing. Half hearted measures and short-term solutions only alleviate the problems, they do not solve them. Allocating more funds, or increasing the size of the traffic police will help, but only for short duration. If Delhi wants to become a civilized city and be counted among the premier capitals of the World, it must be ready to take harsh decisions.  But before attempting to solve the problem, it is necessary to appreciate its nature and magnitude, and then arrive at viable solutions. I have attempted to carry out such an appreciation, which is given in the paragraphs that follow.

AIM

4.         The primary aim of this appreciation is to reduce road accidents in Delhi and the NCR by half within a period of two years and to 10% by the end of the year 2015.

5.         The secondary aim is to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic on the roads of Delhi and the NCR.

 

THE PROBLEM

6.         The major cause of road accidents in Delhi can be attributed to human causes, which includes over-speeding, disregard of traffic rules, lack of road etiquette and road rage. The contributors are drivers of all types of motorized vehicles (trucks, buses, motor cars, three-wheelers, motorcycles, scooters); three wheeled cycle rickshaws; bicycles; animal drawn carts; and pedestrians.

7.         All road users mentioned above who contribute to road accidents also hinder the smooth flow of traffic. In addition, other agencies such as the Traffic Police and the civic agencies which are responsible for the construction and maintenance of roads, road signs, traffic lights, electric poles, storm drains, telephones cables etc. are also to blame for the uneven flow of traffic. It is pertinent to note that the state of traffic directly or indirectly affects road accidents as well as road rage, both of which often result in loss of life or injuries.

Factors Responsible for Hindering Traffic

8.         Ideally, traffic must flow unhindered, stopping only at red lights or road junctions. The flow of traffic is dependant on a large number of factors, such as the width of the road, the condition of the road surface, the number and types of vehicles, speed limits, markings and road signage, whether the road is one way or two way, the locality through which the road passes (markets, residential areas, office complexes), the existence of subways and over-bridges for pedestrians and separate tracks for cyclists, and so on.

9.         Each road has a maximum capacity, which is limited by the factors indicated above. The capacity or road density can be expressed in terms of number of vehicles that passes a point in a fixed time frame, which is usually a minute or an hour. A density of 10 per minute means that about ten vehicles cross a point on the road every minute. The density is closely linked to the speed at which vehicles can move on the road, which in turn is related to the inter se distance that is to be maintained between two vehicles. On a national highway, where there are no speed limits, this distance may be about 50 metres, which would translate to a road capacity of about 20 vehicles to a kilometer (vtkm). On a city road, where the speed limit is 40 Km/h, the ideal distance to be maintained between two vehicles can be about 20 metres, and the road capacity will be 50 vtkm. In crowded areas, where vehicles move bumper to bumper, the gap can be further reduced to say 5 metres, resulting in a capacity of 200 vtkm. If the road has two lanes, the capacity is doubled. If there are three lanes, it is trebled. Let us examine the factors that hinder the smooth movement of traffic.

Lane Driving

10.       The concept of lane driving is virtually unknown in Delhi. Most motorists are unaware of the advantages of sticking to the lane in which one is driving, and change lanes whenever they see traffic in a neighbouring lane moving faster. The desire to get ahead even by a few feet often results in traffic jams, especially at red lights. This will be explained with the help of diagrams.  

11.       Figure 1 shows traffic at a T Junction. The main road is a six-lane highway, similar to the ring road, having three lanes for each direction, with a divider between them. Vehicles shown in red are moving from left to right. The vehicles in dark blue are moving from right to left, while the vehicle in pink (M) is turning left. The vehicles in light blue (A, B, C) are waiting for a right turn. The important thing to note is that A, B and C are waiting in the right lane, allowing other vehicles that are going straight to move without hindrance.

12.       Figure 2 shows traffic at the same junction, with one change. Vehicle C, which has to turn right, has left its lane and occupied the centre lane, blocking the traffic moving straight. The road capacity has been effectively reduced by 50%. Suppose the light remains green for the traffic moving from left to right for one minute, and the traffic is moving at 10 Kmph. At this speed, a vehicle will cover about 167 metres in a minute. If the distance between vehicles is 5 metres, about 33 vehicles will be able to move across the junction, in each lane in one minute. If two lanes are available, the number will be doubled to 66 vehicles. The driver of vehicle C has therefore blocked no less than 33 vehicles form moving ahead, by blocking the middle lane. This phenomenon is extremely common on the roads in Delhi, at several places where such junctions exist, e.g., Adchini, the junction on Press Enclave road turning to PVR Saket, the junction on outer ring road leading to Vasantkunj and JNU etc. The most common defaulters are buses, call centre taxis and TSRs. Surprisingly, the traffic police rarely check such errant behaviour.

13.       Figure 3 shows the traffic at the same junction. The light has now changed to green for a right turn for the vehicles marked A, B, C, D etc. These vehicles are now turning right. The traffic going straight ahead is also moving. At the same time, traffic from right to left is waiting since the light is red, except for a free left turn for the vehicles in pink (M, N). Vehicles from the side road (X, Y) are also waiting, since they have to turn right. Traffic is moving smoothly, for all those for whom the light is green. Now consider the situation in Figure 4. Vehicle Y, which was waiting behind vehicle X, has moved alongside, in the centre lane. It has effectively blocked the centre lane for traffic coming from the left, turning right. Only one lane is now left for the vehicles that are turning right (A, B, C, D etc) and those coming from the right and taking a free left turn (M, N). Once again, the traffic capacity has been reduced to half, just because one driver (Y) left his lane. After a few such instances, there will a road jam, with waiting time increasing to several minutes at the junction, from all directions.

Stopping at Red Lights

14.       Vehicles are expected to stop as soon as the traffic lights turn red. In fact, except for vehicles that have already crossed the stop line, others should stop when the light turns to amber from green. In practice, it is seen that vehicles do not stop, since drivers know that there is a gap of a few seconds before the light turns green for the oncoming traffic from another direction. About 5 to 10 vehicles continue to move after the light turns red, sometimes coming in the way of traffic from another direction that has started moving. This leads to accidents, or delays. Since the vehicles for which the light has turned to green cannot start immediately, they lose some precious seconds. As a result, many vehicles cannot clear the green light, which turns to red before they have reached the crossing. This also leads to frayed tempers and road rage.

15.       Another common mistake is vehicles not stopping at the stop line, short of the zebra crossing for pedestrians, forcing the latter to cross the road weaving between cars. Sometimes, the lights change while the pedestrians are crossing. This not only endangers the pedestrians, but also delays the motorists, who have to wait for the pedestrians to cross before they can start moving. This again gives rise to arguments and road rage. The driver who crosses the stop line and the zebra crossing gains perhaps 2 or 3 metres at the most, which may give him an advantage of one or two seconds, which is negligible. However, it hampers the movement of pedestrians, who have to literally run across the road between vehicles, to avoid being run over.

Overtaking from the Left and Cutting into Traffic

16.       Overtaking from the left is so common in Delhi that most drivers now accept it as the done thing. If the vehicle ahead of a driver in a hurry does not give a pass immediately – which may be due to legitimate reasons - he simply overtakes from the left. Another common practice is for vehicles to cut in from the left, even in heavy traffic. The driver on the right usually blows his horn loudly at the intrusion, but has to stop or slow down, unless he wants to get his vehicle damaged.  In this battle of nerves, each driver dares the other, hoping that he will back down. In case both stick to their guns, it leads to arguments, fisticuffs or accidents.

Slow Vehicles

17.       Traffic flow is smooth if all vehicles have comparable speeds. If a slow vehicle, such as a tractor, three wheeler tempo or TSR is introduced, it slows down the traffic considerably. Figure 5 shows a three-lane highway, on which traffic is moving from left to right. A slow vehicle (A) is also moving on the road. The average speed of the traffic may be about 60 – 80 Kmph, while that of the tractor or tempo will be about 10-15 Kmph. As a result, one lane has been effectively blocked, and the road capacity reduced to two thirds. The situation worsens if there are two or more slow vehicles, and one tries to overtake the other. Due to their slow speed, it takes a long time for the overtaking vehicle to come back to the left lane. In the process, the fats moving traffic is held up.

Buses

18.       Buses are expected to move in the bus lane, on the extreme left. In practice, buses rarely ply in the bus lane. At bus stops, they usually stop well away from the kerb, blocking the traffic in the other lanes. Sometimes, buses have no choice, since TSRs and taxis are parked right next to the bus stop. If a bus is standing at the bus stop, the bus that is following should wait until the one in front moves off. In practice, the bus at the back just overtakes the bus in front, effectively blocking the road. It is not uncommon to see three buses moving abreast, completely blocking the road for other users. Buses racing each other are also not uncommon, often leading to accidents when one of them loses control. Once again, the traffic police usually turn a blind eye to such incidents.

19.       A very common sight is the bus that tries to get in front of the traffic halted at a red light, waiting to turn right. The situation is similar to what has been depicted in Figure 2, but the large size of the bus makes it only worse. Sometimes, the entire traffic that is moving straight is blocked, as can be seen in Figure 6. The bus should have been waiting behind the car B, but it has moved ahead of car A from the left, blocking the traffic going straight ahead in the other lanes.

TSRs

20.       The three-wheeled scooter rickshaw or TSR is ubiquitous on Delhi’s roads. Though TSRs are essential, and will continue until better public transport is available, they are responsible for many of the ills that plague Delhi. TSR drivers in Delhi are a law unto themselves and rarely follow traffic rules. At a junction, the TSR will stop at a red light only if a traffic policeman is present, but never short of the stop line. He will always try to get in front of the traffic waiting at a red light, blocking others. Because of the construction of the TSR, the driver does not have a good view of the rear, and accidents often occur when they take sharp turns. The instability of the vehicle causes it to overturn when it hits another vehicle or the edge of the pavement or divider, often resulting in injuries to the occupants.

Two Wheelers

21.       Motorcycles and scooters are another cause of concern. Most drivers wear a helmet only when a policeman is around. They never stick to lanes and weave in and out of traffic at will. No self-respecting scooterist in Delhi waits behind a car at a red light - he invariably moves to the head of the column, often blocking the path of pedestrians using the zebra crossing. It is quite common to see a horde of two-wheelers waiting in front of cars at a red light. When the light turns green, they hinder the movement of the cars, which can move faster, but are prevented from moving ahead due to the presence of the two-wheelers.

Pedestrians

22.       Pedestrians have to cross the road. Where traffic is heavy, they should use a subway or an over bridge, if one exists. Alternately, they should cross at junctions, using the zebra crossings, which should have green and red lights. In places where traffic is light, zebra crossings may not have lights. In such cases, pedestrians should look on both sides of the road before crossing. Motorists are expected to slow down or halt at zebra crossings, permitting pedestrians to cross the road. The golden rule is that smaller entities have right of way over heavier entities. The pedestrian has right of way over the cyclist, who has right of way over a scooterist, who has right of way over a motorist, who has right of way over a truck or a bus. In Delhi, this rule is never followed, which is one of the major causes of accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists. 

23.       Pedestrians are also to be blamed for crossing the road during heavy traffic even when a subway or zebra crossing is available. Older people and children are especially vulnerable, since they are unable to correctly judge the speed of oncoming vehicles, and are often caught in the middle of the road, leading to accidents. Sometimes, the motorist travelling at high speed is unable to avoid a collision, when a pedestrian suddenly comes in his path.  Again, this is one of the major causes of accidents involving pedestrians.

Essence of the Problem

24.       The essence of the problem with traffic in Delhi is lack of road discipline and not lack of road space. Road users just do not follow traffic rules. This is partly due to lack of education and partly due to lack of fear of the law. In the case of the vast majority of drivers of buses, trucks, taxis and TSRs, both factors are responsible for traffic violations. In the case of drivers of motor cars, motorcycles and scooters, it is not so much lack of education as lack of civic sense and a penchant for breaking the law, which is the result of the inability of the traffic police to book offenders.

THE SOLUTION

25.       Once the essence of the problem has been identified, it is not difficult to identify the solutions. I will first deal with the first problem i.e. lack of education. The solutions suggested are of two types  – short term, which gives immediate results; and long term, the results of which are apparent after several years.

Road Traffic Education

26.       I think the reason we have failed to ‘educate’ the average road user in Delhi is because we have never involved the people themselves. The concept of ‘Bhagidari’ that was introduced by the Delhi government a few years ago is an excellent vehicle, which could be employed for this purpose. Some steps that could be taken to educate road users in Delhi are given in the succeeding paragraphs.

A.        Road etiquette should be included in the curriculum in every school, from Class 5 onwards, as part of Social Studies. At least 100 periods should be devoted every year, of which at least 80 will be practicals. This should apply not only to the only to the schools in New Delhi proper, but the rural areas Delhi e.g. Najafgarh, Bijwasan, Narela, Badli etc. from where most of the drivers of buses, TSRs and call centre taxis come. It is has been proved, time and again, that the best method of teaching adults is through children. For almost four decades after Independence, government agencies tried to teach the tribals in Bastar to wear clothes, eat cooked food and observe the basics of hygiene and sanitation, without success. Doctors who visited tribal villages were chased away, and the locals refused to change their way of life. Then the Rama Krishna Mission opened a school in the region, where free education, boarding and lodging was provided. When the children went to their homes during vacations, they insisted that their parents wear clothes, have baths, and use toilets. In a couple years, the children achieved what the government agencies had not been able to do in forty years. There is no reason why the children of Delhi cannot achieve the same feat. 

B.        Practicals for school children should be on the roads. They will not be used to control traffic – that is the job of the Traffic Police – but to advise road users. Children are the best teachers, because no one can refuse them. Imagine a well-dressed young man driving a motorcycle who stops two metres ahead of the stop line at a red light, smack in the middle of the zebra crossing. And the look on his face when a ten year old girl walks up to him and tells “Uncle, don’t you know you are supposed to stop there, not here?” The man would have argued with a Home Guard or a grown up Volunteer, but with a child, all he can do is to grin sheepishly. The same thing will happen if a person is ticked off for not wearing a seat belt, jumping a red light or blocking a lane meant for others, which is the most common cause of jams at busy intersections.

C.        To encourage students and schools in the venture, each major crossing should be assigned to a school. Each month, a prize should be given to the best-managed crossing or roundabout, for which the public will vote, via SMS or phone, as for KBC or Indian Idol. Each year, a running trophy should be given to the best school, presented by the PM on 15^th August at Red Fort or the President on 26^th January on Raj path.

D.        TV cameras should be installed at major traffic intersections. Major violations should be shown on every TV channel, with the registration number of the vehicle prominently displayed. If the vehicle has been stopped and fined, the identity of the offender should be given out. Celebrities such as Amitabh Bachhan, Sachin Tendulkar and R.V.S Rathore can be coopted, as has been done for the pulse polio campaign. One can imagine the effect if Bachhan comes on TV, and tells someone who has been identified blocking a lane or jumping a red light: “Mr so and so, I do not think you are setting a good example for your children. Please do not do it again.” The offender will be reformed for life, and will never repeat the misdemeanour. It will also have a salutary effect on others, once they know that it could happen to them also.

Enforcing Road Discipline

27.       Enforcing road discipline is the responsibility of the Traffic Police. Fortunately, the Police in Delhi have magisterial powers unlike smaller towns where all traffic offences have to be tried by courts. Imposition of on-the-spot fines and punching the driving licences of traffic offenders are very effective methods of enforcing traffic discipline, as has been proved in cities like Singapore. The Traffic Police in Delhi have adequate powers to book traffic offenders. They should be relieved of VIP duties, which detract from their basic responsibility of controlling traffic. If necessary, their strength should be augmented and they should be given the technological gadgets to carry out their task. Some measures for enforcing traffic discipline are given in the succeeding paragraphs.

E.         Fines should be heavy, so that they act as a deterrent. After the first traffic violation by a motorist, the licence should be punched and a fine of Rs. 1000/- imposed. After the second offence, a fine of Rs. 10,000/- should be imposed and the licence suspended for six months. The third violation should be punished with a fine of Rs. 1,00,000/- and being debarred from driving for life.

F.         In case of cyclists, fines may be lower. The second offence should result in the bicycle being impounded for a week. After the third offence, the bicycle should be confiscated.

G.        Pedestrians should be fined and in serious cases, detained for 24 hours. During the Soviet era in Russia, Gorbachev was determined to reduce alcoholism at the work place, which was seriously affecting production. New rules were framed, and anyone found drunk in a public place was fined up to a week’s salary. In addition, he had to spend one day in the police station, sleeping off the hangover. The same treatment, if meted out to jaywalkers in Delhi, will work wonders. Handcarts and animal drawn carts are frequently found travelling in the opposite direction on a one-way street. The drivers should be fined and in case of inability to pay, be detained for 24 hours, along with the cart.

H.        The list of traffic violators should be published in the daily newspapers and also displayed by all news channels on TV, several times in a day. Even if the identity of the offender is not known immediately, a photograph or TV shot of the vehicle with the registered number clearly visible will have the desired effect.  The offender should be asked to report to the Police Station next day, to pay the fine.

RECOMMENDATIONS

28.       The solutions suggested above can be implemented, if there is a will on the part of the political leadership. It cannot be implemented with the existing set up, since a large number of agencies are involved. It is recommended that a separate organisation, which may be called the Delhi Road Safety Corporation, be set up, with a definite action plan to be implemented within a fixed time frame.

29.       It is also recommended that before implementing the measures suggested above, a study be carried out to assess their viability. The study may throw up additional or better solutions, which should be incorporated in the action plan.

28 Feb 2008