The Public Works Department (PWD) is set to launch an intersection redesign initiative across the city to address traffic congestion and enhance road safety, with five of the city’s most accident-prone and congested intersections to be taken up in the initial phase, minister Parvesh Verma said on Thursday.
The department is in the final stages of appointing consultants who will help redesign these intersections in line with road safety principles. The intersections selected for the redesign include those near Metcalfe House, Mukarba Chowk, Kingsway Camp junction, ITO junction, and one critical location on Ring Road.
These points were surveyed about two years ago, but no intervention was made at the time, officials said.
“An agency that was consulting with PWD has surveyed nearly all major intersections across the city to come up with problem areas and solutions. This study was done about two years ago, but no action was taken on it. We are planning to resolve the problems related to black spots identified along PWD roads by introducing design changes. These will help reduce congestion as well as accidents,” said Verma.
The proposed redesign works is expected to include features such as dedicated pedestrian or tabletop crossings, smoother lane mergers, realigned traffic signals, and better road markings.
Around 896 intersections across the national capital were analysed and the five priority areas were selected following a simulation-based study. The consultancy agency will propose solutions at these five intersections on Friday.
The redesign work is part of a larger push by the Delhi government to revamp traffic infrastructure and bring it in line with modern urban planning standards, Verma said. He added that if the pilot project works, Andheria Mor may also be added to the initial list.
According to PWD officials, the agency in 2023submitted detailed findings based on simulations intended to improve traffic flow and reduce crash risks.
“The simulation can also be changed as per the current traffic conditions and suggest measures accordingly. It provides data on footfall, crash points, current road condition and other details. We will be revisiting those recommendations and taking a more action-oriented approach,” a PWD official said.
PWD will invite proposals from experienced design consultants, with the aim of starting groundwork within the next few months. Officials added that each intersection will undergo a detailed analysis covering traffic volume patterns, pedestrian movement, accident history and spatial constraints among others.
Experts say that despite efforts in the past, Delhi continues to grapple with high traffic volume and a significant number of road crashes — many of which are linked to poorly designed intersections.
Experts have long emphasized the need to move from a reactive to a proactive model of road design and safety.
“In most cases, intersection redesign is carried out after accidents occur. What Delhi needs is preventive intervention. One of the key challenges in redesigning junctions is balancing the needs of different road users—motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport users. A well-designed intersection is not just about reducing congestion; it’s about ensuring that every road user can navigate the junction safely and efficiently. However, so far, the emphasis has been to create road infrastructure only for motorists, which needs to be relooked,” said S Velmurugan, chief scientist and head of the traffic engineering and safety division at the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI).
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