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Speak up Delhi: Traffic nightmare on DND has no end in sight, drivers blame chaos at MCD toll booths

The booths are also putting lives of people at risk, with poll collectors stopping vehicles mid-way

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Even though the flyway is of eight lanes, the MCD booth run by untrained staff is a source of stress for road-users on the stretch
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With never-ending gridlocks of traffic on a daily basis, the Delhi-Noida-Direct (DND) flyway has become a nightmare for commuters of Delhi and Noida, especially during peak hours.

Ever since the flyway has become toll-free, a toll booth managed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been placed barely metres away from the dismantled booths, to collect toll from the commercial vehicles. While the flyway has become toll-free in order to ease traffic snarls, the MCD toll booth has been making travel hell for daily commuters of Delhi and Noida.

Even though the flyway is eight-laned, the MCD toll booth has been put up at the widest stretch on the flyway, which leads to traffic snarls. Be it in the morning or evening, commuters have to plan their day early as they know that they will be traffic for more than an hour at DND flyway.

"Everyday I am late for office as I need to stop at these barricades meant for commercial vehicles. Why should non-commercial vehicles slow down? MCD should stay at their designated position," ranted Rohan, an IT Official.

Since this is the main source of income for the MCD and cabbies trying to give toll collectors the slip, the booth has been placed at the widest stretch on the flyway. Despite assigned lanes and diversions for commercial vehicles, many drivers try to speed away compelling toll collectors to stop them in the middle of the road, giving rise to traffic snarls.

"We have put banners in front of the two lanes but commercial vehicles try to escape from the other lanes. Thus, we had no option but to put a barricade in front of all the 6 lanes to make sure all the commercial vehicles pay taxes," said Suneel Singh, who is an in-charge at DND flyway.

"They impose a fine of Rs 11,000 if we don't pay toll. However, they mention Rs 600 on the slip. The toll collector comes in front of the cars from nowhere, they even don't wait for the vehicles to slow down. This can lead to mishap any day," said a cab driver Dilip.

Traffic snarls on DND began in 2016 after the Allahabad High Court passed an order stating that the concessionaire, Noida Toll Bridge Co Ltd (NTBCL), was no longer entitled to charge toll since it had "recovered all reasonable returns". After the order, toll booths at the DND were emptied, and the SDMC set up a temporary booth to collect other taxes.

VOICES

Commuting to Delhi from Noida and back has become a headache because of these MCD officials. While going back to Delhi from office, I have to wait in a long queue of cars every day with toll collectors stopping taxis in front of me to collect tax. Earlier the booth was somewhere in the middle of DND, leading to traffic chaos. Shifting the toll did not ease traffic congestion either. 
Ashi Sharma, salon owner

Traffic congestion is the worst during office hours. With the MCD collecting tolls from commercial vehicles, you can get stuck on the flyway for a minimum of 30 minutes. Your stretch time might stretch to two hours if you are unlucky. It is very difficult for us to travel via DND during peak hours. 
Deepanshu Sharma, businessman

We are left with no other option but to wait in these long queues. At times they stop us in the middle of the road to collect tax. I always pay the tax to avoid any scuffle. 
Dilip Kumar, cab driver

Traffic is usually worse on weekdays at around 5 to 7 pm. Not just traffic jam, the MCD booths are putting lives of commuters at risk. Toll collectors come in the mid-way to stop the commercial vehicles. Vehicles are forced to apply emergency brakes to avoid a collision. All these for tax of Rs 100. If we skip the toll via another lane, they charge us fine of Rs 1100 if caught. 
Prithviraj Chauhan, cab driver

Everyone leads a busy life, everyone is in a hurry to reach their destination. Thus, getting stuck in traffic for so long is not acceptable. Waiting in line for hours builds up frustration in commuters. Some try to overtake to evade the situation, which either leads to minor accidents or make the congestion worse. 
Shivam, IT professional

I just recovered from fever and my health doesn't allow me to travel for long. However, traffic congestion on DND makes sure that my travelling time is stretched beyond permissible limit. 
Shivani Bhardwaj, boutique owner

EXPERT SPEAK

We had been tracking the issues faced by the general public, and to make it easy for everyone, we have made the toll collection system fully automatic. Right now, the ball is in the court of owners of commercial vehicles to make the system a success. They have to purchase the RFID tags as soon as possible. To make sure that is also done soon, we are trying create awareness among the drivers about the merits of RFID tag. 
Radha Krishan, PRO, South Delhi Municipal Corporation

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