The trial for dedicated lanes for the CWG vehicles are set to begin from Sunday. But many problems await the new arrangement. Although the Delhi police claims that nearly 40 days of exposure of the people to the new arrangements would suffice and will help in ensuring that people do not venture on to the Games lanes, the
unfinished street-scaping work, specially around the Commonwealth Games venues, will prove to be a hindrance. Already, the trials are beginning much behind the ideal schedule and there are chances of road users not getting used to driving only in two lanes.
The Delhi traffic police will begin trials for specially dedicated road lanes for Commonwealth Games officials, athletes and visitors. “We will begin field trials within this week. As some roads are little narrow with only two lanes, we will have to see how we can adjust traffic,” said a senior police officer.
There are 36 reserved lanes stretching from the airport to the Games Village and various Games venues. These lanes will be on the right side of the roads and earmarked by broad blue bands and Commonwealth Games logo. These lanes will be guarded by the expanded force levels of the Delhi police, which will reach 5,500 personnel and over 1,000 volunteers. According to officers, new initiatives to educate drivers about the dedicated lanes and lane management would be started. The Delhi police will also reach out to the public with advisories to avoid the dedicated lanes.
“We will use Facebook and Twitter to connect with the people. We will provide them updates and traffic advisories,” added a senior police officer.
Besides these lanes, the traffic police has inducted 200 fast interceptor bikes and 300 traffic policewomen and started a radio out-reach programme in which ace batsman Virender Sehwag gives safety messages to Delhiites.