New Delhi: In a move that is expected to bring significant relief to commuters in and around ITO, east Delhi, Dhaula Kuan, and several parts of west Delhi, the redevelopment work on five of the busiest road corridors in the city is likely to commence soon. The five priority corridors identified for this comprehensive overhaul are Minto Road–ITO–Karkardooma, Minto Road–Aruna Asaf Ali Marg–Delhi Gate, Netaji Subhash Marg–Shanti Van–MG Marg–ITO–IP Estate Metro, Dhaula Kuan–Jail Road/Cariappa Marg–Tilak Nagar crossing, and Uttam Nagar–Tilak Nagar–Rajouri Garden (Najafgarh Road).
Review Meeting and Objectives
Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu chaired a meeting on Tuesday to review the progress, focusing on coordination between the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) and the road-owning agencies. He emphasized that the project should aim to make these traffic-heavy stretches free of dust and resultant ambient air pollution, as outlined by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).
Significance of the Corridors
These five corridors connect key office hubs, markets, metro stations, and residential areas across central, east, and west Delhi, carrying lakhs of daily commuters. Corridors around ITO, Delhi Gate, and MG Marg routinely witness congestion, dust pollution, damaged footpaths, and waterlogging due to dense office, commercial, and freight movement. Similarly, the Dhaula Kuan and Jail Road stretches face heavy traffic and encroachments, causing inconvenience for pedestrians. The Minto Road–ITO–Karkardooma and Minto Road–Delhi Gate corridors are among the capital's busiest administrative and institutional spines, carrying heavy office load towards ITO, courts, government offices, educational institutions, and Old Delhi markets. Frequent bottlenecks, damaged footpaths, poor drainage, and severe roadside dust make commuting difficult, especially during peak hours and monsoon months.
The Netaji Subhash Marg–Shanti Van–MG Marg stretch along the Yamuna functions as a critical mobility and freight corridor connecting Old Delhi, Ring Road, and east Delhi. Constant movement of buses and commercial vehicles has led to high levels of dust pollution, traffic chaos, and poor pedestrian infrastructure. According to officials, green verges, better drainage, and integrated cycle tracks can significantly improve air quality and commuter experience.
The Uttam Nagar–Tilak Nagar–Rajouri Garden stretch on Najafgarh Road is one of west Delhi's busiest mixed-use corridors, witnessing residential, market, and metro feeder traffic throughout the day.
Key Features of the Redevelopment Plan
The redevelopment plan includes several key features aimed at transforming these corridors. A foolproof stormwater drainage system is proposed to prevent flooding and eliminate silt accumulation on roads, a major source of dust pollution in Delhi. The plan also includes the development of scientific green central verges with grass carpeting and piped irrigation systems to replace water tankers currently used for watering roadside plantations.
Other components of the project include integrated pedestrian pathways and cycle tracks with public utilities and resting shelters, organized movable vending zones and cultural craft bazaars to promote a night-time economy, as well as improved street lighting, short-duration parking facilities, and CCTV-based security infrastructure aimed at enhancing safety for women and children.
Expected Outcomes
An SPA official stated that once completed, the transit corridors will not only serve as models for dust mitigation but will be transformed into green, pedestrian-friendly, employment-oriented, and recreational stretches that will be functional 24/7. The project is also expected to boost local markets and create more active, walkable public spaces across Delhi.
LG Sandhu stressed that the exercise should bring the people of the city close to these stretches, instilling a sense of ownership of these public assets. This, in turn, will ensure safety, security, and proper maintenance, aside from providing much-needed open recreational spaces. The LG also directed SPA to come up with designs that ensure pavements are paved with adequately porous material to facilitate water seepage but strong enough to require minimal maintenance.
