Latest news with #Delhi-bound
Time of India
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
11 deaths in 3 years: Why Pachgaon Chowk is one of Gurgaon most dangerous spots
Gurgaon: Traffic cops have identified 23 conflict points at Pachgaon Chowk, one of the city's most notorious blackspots that has witnessed 11 fatalities and 12 injuries in 19 accidents between 2021 and 2024. The traffic engineering centre has highlighted how the junction's complex layout, combining high-speed highway traffic with slow-moving local vehicles, creates a deadly mix. The most recent tragedy occurred on June 21, when a Delhi Police head constable died and five others were injured after a Rajasthan Roadways bus overturned while trying to avoid crashing into a car. The report, prepared under DCP (traffic) Rajesh Mohan's supervision, identifies the junction as particularly hazardous because of its location at the median gap of NH-8 and its intersection with the Western Peripheral Expressway. The area's mixed land use, with Panchgaon village on one side and undeveloped land on the other, further complicates traffic movement. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon The study reveals 11 crossing conflicts, seven diverging conflicts, and five merging conflicts at the junction. Trucks, the report says, are a major cause of collisions at this location, involved in six of 9 fatal accidents in these three years. They often make U-turns towards Delhi and Ajmer to avoid a cloverleaf, using the median gap to save 1.2km and increasing the risk of collision with straight-moving traffic. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your IQ Is 140 If You Can Answer 10 of These Questions Correctly. IQ International Undo Buses also lack an alternative entry to the village, frequently using the median gap. Bus stopping to pick up and drop passengers on the main carriageway also pose considerable risks, who are forced to cross the road against high-speed traffic. Another major concern is wrong-side movement of two-wheelers, accounting for 37% of traffic violations. Traffic from Pachgaon village and the Delhi side often moves against the flow, particularly towards Pukharpur. An underutilised underpass for pedestrians and two-wheelers, located 200 metres from the median gap, is often avoided because of its poor maintenance and difficult access. The report notes that 82% of Delhi-bound traffic moves straight, while 11% attempts U-turns, creating dangerous situations. The report proposes limiting the U-turns of trucks at the median gap by installing a 4-metre height barrier. It also advises extending the median on the service road by about 20 metres to minimise complicated manoeuvres. The report calls for shifting bus stops on both sides of the road about 70 metres towards Delhi, reducing pedestrians' walking distance to the underpass. To improve connectivity, the report recommends building a new road linking Pukharpur Road with a service lane near the underpass and constructing footpaths for pedestrians. The report emphasises that immediate action is crucial, as the junction continues to pose a severe risk to both highway users and local commuters. Officials said they would strictly impose challans against buses halting at wrong spots and vehicles making illegal U-turns.
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Time of India
Rush hour traffic crawls, cops open DME for cars
Ghaziabad: In light of heavy traffic congestion at the border on NH-9 and DME following showers on Wednesday morning, traffic police removed restrictions on light vehicles on the DME. The expressway had previously been closed from Sunday night to ensure safe passage for kanwar pilgrims. ACP (traffic) Ziauddin Ahmad said that the number of pilgrims using the stretch had reduced significantly with Shivratri celebrations in full swing, therefore, there was no longer a necessity to close the expressway, and restrictions were eased to solve the heavy congestion. It took more than two hours for traffic police to control the situation. Kunal Verma, a commuter stuck in snarls on Wednesday, told TOI that it took him more than two hours to cross the Ghazipur area. Some police personnel were managing the traffic movement, he said. You Can Also Check: Noida AQI | Weather in Noida | Bank Holidays in Noida | Public Holidays in Noida Anshul Kumar, another commuter, mentioned that there was waterlogging at the underpass of DME and in the Ghazipur area. "One of the commuters' cars also broke down at the Ghazipur side, and this made more difficulties for people. Around noon, I reached the office in Delhi, and I left my house in Crossings Republik at 9.15am," he said. Vehicles were diverted to the Kaushambi side to travel to Delhi via Bhopura. More than 25 traffic police personnel were present at the spot along with local police to execute the diversion plan and manage traffic. On easing restrictions further, the ACP said, "The restrictions on heavy vehicles are still in place, and we will review the situation this evening. There are possibilities that heavy vehicles will also be allowed by tonight." Previously, entry points to the expressway at Khoda, ABES College, Crossings Republik, Dasna, and Bhojpur were closed for public use. Delhi-bound traffic was diverted to NH-9, which runs parallel to the DME. Traffic police had imposed a ban on all types of vehicles on DME from Sunday night but partially reopened it on Monday for one hour, between 11am and noon, to ease traffic movement. Similarly, on Tuesday, between 10am and noon, the restrictions were temporarily relaxed as numerous office-goers and commuters reached DME entry points requesting access due to work and business obligations.
Time of India
22-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Indian airports see three bird strikes a day, says DGCA in RTI reply
Hyderabad: Indian airports are recording at least three bird strikes daily, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has revealed in a reply to a Right to Information (RTI) request. As per the RTI reply, the confirmed bird strikes reported to the DGCA during 2024 stood at 1,278. When comparing this with data from the civil aviation ministry for preceding years, such incidents witnessed a twofold increase over the past six years. In 2019, the annual bird hit count was 528. The situation has become particularly concerning in recent times, with four aircraft being forced to make an emergency landing in the last month. On July 9, a Delhi-bound flight carrying 169 passengers encountered a bird strike immediately after taking off from Patna airport and returned to its origin. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad The MoCA data shows that among all cities, Delhi recorded the highest number of bird strikes during 2020–23, with 512 incidents. Mumbai followed with 260 incidents, Ahmedabad with 226, and Bengaluru with 214 bird strikes. Hyderabad registered 143 bird strikes during the same period. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Aviation experts say that aircraft encounters with birds predominantly happen when planes are closest to the ground, specifically during take-off, early ascent, and landing. These incidents are frequent at lower altitudes where birds are typically found in greater numbers. The likelihood of such collisions is influenced by various factors, including the natural behaviour of birds, surrounding habitats, and seasonal migration routes, experts said. 'When birds collide with aircraft engines, it necessitates switching to an alternate engine and executing an emergency landing. Similarly, bird strikes on the windshield require immediate action. Certain types of damage, particularly to components like wings, become apparent only after the aircraft lands. These collisions typically happen at lower altitudes, around 2,000 feet, although bird strikes can occur even when aircraft are flying at 10,000 feet,' said Capt CS Randhawa, president, Federation of Indian Pilots, told TOI. According to GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL), robust and technology-driven bird control strategies, including high-frequency acoustic devices, have been deployed near the runways to deter bird movement. Trained staff use firecrackers at regular intervals to create sound deterrents during active runway hours, while grass near operational areas is routinely cleared to remove nesting opportunities and prevent food waste and litter accumulation around the airport premises. 'While the airport continues to strengthen in-house measures, maintaining airside safety is also influenced by surrounding land use. Nearby areas such as Katedan and Jalpally, which house some waste-processing units, have occasionally been flagged for non-compliance with environmental norms,' said an official in GHIAL. Vultures give way to black kites According to 'Wildlife Collisions to Aircraft in India - A Comparative Analysis of Hazardous Species Involved in Different Time Periods', the number of species involved in bird hits has almost doubled. Serious strikes due to vultures are negligible, with black kites now accounting for most of the hits. In the recent past, black kites are the cause of the highest damage and also have the highest probability of causing damage (61.17%) when struck. The number of damage-causing incidents involving various critical species for the period from 2005 to 2018 includes bats, lapwings, swifts, rock pigeons, larks, thick-knees, sparrows, swallows, doves, cattle egrets, and Indian rollers, the study added. GFX 1 States with highest number of bird hits (2020-23): City Bird hits Delhi 512 Mumbai 260 Ahmedabad 226 Bengaluru 214 Chennai 144 Hyderabad 143 Kochi 139 Kolkata 93 GFX: 2 Breakdown of species involved (2005 to 2018) Species Total incidents Black kite 85 Bats 68 Lapwings 82 Swifts 75 Rock pigeons 40 Lark 52 Swallows 60 Indian roller 18 18 Dove 20 Others 238
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Time of India
Ghaziabad cops open DME for morning rush, close Delhi lanes by noon again
Noida: In a day marked by traffic flip-flops, the Delhi-Meerut Expressway's (DME) carriageway to the capital witnessed an unusual pattern of closures on Tuesday, as cops juggled between managing the kanwar pilgrim rush and addressing commuter woes during peak hours. Traffic police initially shut the carriageway early on Tuesday morning, blocking entry points at Khoda, ABES College, Crossings Republik, Dasna, and Bhojpur. However, facing pressure from office-goers during rush hour, the cops temporarily reopened the expressway between 10am and noon, only to close it again as pilgrim numbers swelled. The closure forced Delhi-bound traffic onto NH-9 — running parallel to DME — resulting in significant congestion. The situation affected regular commuters to Delhi who depend on the expressway for their travel. You Can Also Check: Noida AQI | Weather in Noida | Bank Holidays in Noida | Public Holidays in Noida "With Shivratri falling on Wednesday, we've seen a significant increase in the number of kanwar pilgrims. While we initially restricted light vehicle movement from Tuesday morning, we had to temporarily relax the curbs when numerous office-goers pleaded access citing work commitments," said Ziauddin Ahmad, ACP (traffic) in Ghaziabad. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo The restrictions, reimposed from noon, are expected to continue through Wednesday, with authorities monitoring pilgrim numbers for possible relaxation. While light showers provided some relief by keeping traffic volumes low, congestion persisted at DME exit points in Noida and Ghaziabad, where pilgrims merging onto city roads created bottlenecks. At Model Town crossing, groups of pilgrims, many dancing to DJ music, added to the traffic slowdown as they entered Noida. Among the pilgrims was Arjun Singh from New Ashok Nagar in Delhi, who made the journey to Haridwar on motorcycle. "The journey is long, but the spirit of devotion keeps us going. The chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' echo throughout, making the journey easy," he said. Kanwar pilgrims typically use three major routes in Ghaziabad — a 25km stretch along Pipeline Road from Loni Border to Niwari, a 42.5km route from Kadrabad to UP Gate via GT Road, and the DME, which remains popular among 'Dak Kanwariyas' — pilgrims using vehicles from western Uttar Pradesh to Haridwar and back. On Monday too, all expressway entry points were closed around 11.30am but were opened after an hour due to limited pilgrim presence and mounting traffic snarls.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Time of India
Double Decker to operate up to Delhi Cantt from today to July 28
Jaipur: Here is good news for passengers travelling to Delhi from July 22 to July Monday, North Western Railway (NWR) announced that the Double Decker, which had earlier been cancelled between July 22 and July 28, will remain operational but only up to Delhi Cantt and will not go further till Delhi Sarai Rohilla. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Earlier, it had been announced to cancel the Double Decker from both sides, Jaipur to Delhi and Delhi to Jaipur. Now, the train will continue its operations from Jaipur to Delhi Cantt. It will not go up to Delhi Sarai Rohilla till July 28," said Captain Shashi Kiran, Chief Public Relations Officer, NWR. NWR announced that around 40 Delhi-bound trains from various parts of Rajasthan, including Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Bikaner, will remain cancelled between July 21 to July 28. Since then, passengers had been resenting it as these cancellations also included the Double Decker train. "The railways will now operate the train up to Delhi Cantt, which is good news," said a passenger.
