Delhi-Mumbai Expressway exit towards Ashram an ‘accident black spot’; Sarai Kale Khan traffic congestion ‘hotspot’ sees 1.1 million vehicles a day
A newly opened exit of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway towards Ashram has been flagged as an 'accident black spot' by Delhi Traffic Police due to short weaving lengths. This, along with the Sarai Kale Khan stretch, which handles 1.1 million vehicles daily and funnels 14 lanes into three, is causing severe traffic congestion and altering traffic patterns in Delhi.
Why it matters
This situation highlights critical urban planning and infrastructure challenges in a major Indian metropolis, impacting daily commutes, road safety, and the efficiency of a key multi-modal transport hub. It underscores the need for better traffic management and infrastructure design to prevent accidents and alleviate congestion.
The scale of the problem at Sarai Kale Khan is hard to miss from the foot overbridge near Sundial Park. During peak hours, streams of vehicles from the Delhi–Noida Direct (DND) Flyway, Barapullah, Ring Road and Delhi-Mumbai Expressway converge at the interchange, with rows of red brake lights stretching towards the junction.
The 800-metre Sarai Kale Khan stretch handles at least 1.1 million vehicles a day, as per traffic police estimates. At its most congested point, 14 lanes funnel into just three and create a bottleneck that affects traffic on the DND Flyway and Barapullah Flyover. The resulting queues extend towards Noida, Mayur Vihar, and parts of south and south-east Delhi. In addition, metro, railway network, and Inter-State Bus Terminal converge at this multi-modal hub.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in