AN ALTERNATIVE TO FLYOVERS

Grade Separation of Traffic by Mode instead of Direction

COMBATING POLLUTION

Re-examines the root causes of Pollution and suggests long-term solutions

RESOLVING THE TRAFFIC CRISIS - A PROPOSED DIRECTION

Traffic problems have become an issue of grave concern in most metropoli around the world. Figures are routinely circulated about cities worst hit by traffic congestion and jams. Repeated traffic surveys and studies as well as the imposition of regulations fail to yield an appropriate solution. The papers in this section cover two topical issues related to traffic: traffic pollution and an alternative to flyovers. There has been a considerable amount of debate on the issue of controlling the pollution levels in Delhi by enforcing stringent laws. Anti pollution drives have been launched and new legislations are in the offing but the solution seems nowhere in sight. The governmental agencies and the individuals that are entrusted with the task of enforcing these regulations, end up collecting vast sums of money without containing the problem. This establishes yet another link in the vicious chain of corruption. The problem persists and continues getting aggravated every month. May be a bit of lateral thinking is required with the objective of attempting a solution that takes care of the root cause of the problem. Until the basic reason for pollution by vehicular traffic is established, all solutions can at best be fire fighting measures requiring a constant struggle between the law makers and those who are left with no choice but to ignore the law for it's mindless enforcement. We must look beyond the never-ending exercise of widening roads or building a large number of flyovers. Rethinking our planning approach and reversing the prevalent large scale specialised land use would provide a long-term solution. The issue of flyovers as an effective solution to the traffic jams that cripple cities all over the world is examined. The inherent limitation of a flyover is that it fails to eliminate reliance on traffic lights, thus failing to resolve traffic congestion effectively. The Grade Separator is a solution that dovetails the benefits of a rotary with the concept of a flyover. It is essentially a multi-level rotary with traffic segregation at distinct vertical levels on the basis of mode of traffic and not direction alone. It provides a solution that can be flexibly designed and constructed on the basis of the local parameters and constraints that it has to resolve. The biggest advantage of the grade separator is that it allows free movement of traffic in all directions, while being more economical, aesthetically pleasing, and more appropriate to the human scale than a flyover. Its many benefits make it an option worthy of serious examination.