Ahmedabad: Crossing a busy road in Ahmedabad has long been a gamble. With no dedicated crossing in sight at several junctions, pedestrians were forced to navigate through fast-moving traffic. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has now cleared a Rs 20.08 crore plan to overhaul 133 junctions, with the goal of making the city’s roads safer for pedestrians and less chaotic for drivers.Designs for 29 junctions in the first phase have already been finalised, with plans drawn up for 104 more. Key junctions like RTO, Nehrunagar, Palak Junction (Ranip), Jalaram Kutchi Bhavan, and Vijay Crossroads are on the list. Plans are also in place for the development of Judges Bungalow Crossroads, Pakwan Crossroads, Iskcon Crossroads, and Palladium Mall Junction.” The trigger was straightforward: traffic has surged at more than 100 junctions in the city, and the AMC acknowledged that the absence of proper infrastructure at these junctions has made it genuinely dangerous for pedestrians to cross. There are currently no dedicated pedestrian crossings at most of these major junctions.The Rs 20 crore will go towards conducting a traffic study of the major junctions, develop them, and establish dedicated pedestrian crossings. It will also be utilised to set up signage, road markings, lane lines, stop lines, and zebra crossings at these junctions.The approved budget is 47.7% higher than the initial estimate of Rs 13.59 crore, and was passed in a standing committee meeting in March.In the proposal, the AMC states: “Unused or underutilised spaces at junctions will be converted into traffic islands, and lanes will be clearly defined to improve vehicle flow. Junctions will also be redesigned to allow free left turns based on road width, so drivers turning left no longer have to stop and add to the congestion.”A senior AMC official, speaking anonymously, pointed to large circular junctions as a particular problem. The official said, “Junctions at Mithakali, Nehrunagar, and RTO exacerbate traffic jams. During peak hours, these large circular junctions create obstacles for smooth vehicular movement. Pedestrians face significant challenges in crossing roads at these major junctions. In this context, the AMC plans to redesign and develop junctions to address traffic issues.“The work is being rolled out in phases. In the first phase, 29 junctions were selected. Designs for 27 of them were prepared by SVNIT, while a private consultant handled the remaining two. “Of these, design work on five smaller junctions has been completed and finalised, and designs for the remaining 24 are also ready,” stated the official. Beyond the first phase, the AMC has now prepared designs for an additional 104 junctions, bringing the total number of junctions being planned for development to 133.
