Truck entry restriction hits DND traffic
NEW DELHI: A day after the ban on the entry of heavy and medium goods vehicles by the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority was extended till November 12, the Noida-delhi borders saw hundreds of trucks being re-routed.
Close to 50 trucks were parked just before the Delhi-noida Direct (DND) Flyway toll plaza, after being denied entry into the National Capital. This led to slow vehicular movement near Film City in Sector 16A, Noida.
At the DND Flyway, commuters going towards Delhi had to struggle through heavy traffic as long queues of trucks had left little space for vehicular movement.
“I was at the DND entry point around 12.30pm and it took me 15 to 20 minutes to cross the stretch,” a commuter, who was stuck in the jam, said.
AK Jha, superintendent of police (traffic), Gautam Budh Nagar, said, “Most trucks entering Delhi from Noida use the Kalindi Kunj bridge; that is why we asked the truck drivers to park their vehicles on the stretch of road near Okhla Bird Sanctuary Metro station.”
According to Delhi Traffic Police, 609 heavy vehicles were turned away last night, while 734 trucks carrying essential goods were allowed to enter the city.
When asked, civic body officials, who have been tasked with enforcing the ban, said that the checking of trucks carrying essential goods led to heavy traffic. “It takes at least five to seven minutes to check whether a truck is really carrying essential goods,” an SDMC official said.