Imagine driving through Delhi's busiest roads without stopping at a single traffic signal. That could soon become reality at 25 major intersections, where authorities are planning to replace traffic signals with a back-to-back U-turn model aimed at easing congestion and improving traffic flow across the capital.
The proposal, cleared in principle after detailed technical evaluation, is expected to be rolled out in phases over the coming months. Officials say the plan is designed to reduce waiting time at intersections, improve average travel speed, lower fuel consumption and ease pressure on some of the city's most congested corridors.
From Flyovers To Flow-Based Traffic
Instead of building more flyovers, authorities are focusing on redesigning junctions to keep vehicles moving continuously.
Under the proposed model, traffic signals on identified corridors will be removed and replaced with structured U-turn points. Vehicles needing to change direction will move ahead, take designated U-turns and rejoin their routes, while through traffic continues without repeated stoppages.
Officials say the approach is designed to deliver faster congestion relief at lower cost, especially in dense urban stretches where land constraints, Metro corridors and built-up surroundings limit large infrastructure options.
The proposal was cleared on June 23 by Traffic Police after technical evaluation. Inputs were also taken from the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI).
The plan is based on a detailed traffic survey conducted by experts who studied congestion patterns across multiple corridors in Delhi.
25 Key Corridors Across The Capital
The plan covers major arterial roads across Delhi, including, Najafgarh Road, Bhartendu Harishchandra Marg, GT Road (GT Karnal Bypass Flyover to Azadpur), Rajouri Garden-Karampura stretch, Punjabi Bagh-Tikri Border stretch, Mathura Road (Ashram-Apollo-Badarpur), Mehrauli-Gurugram Road, Outer Ring Road (Nehru Place-Rao Tula Ram Flyover), Road No. 71 (Yojana Vihar stretch), ITO corridor, Kalindi Kunj and Airport area roads, Pankha Road, Mehrauli-Saket-Sangam Vihar belt, and several other congested arterial stretches across North, South, East and West Delhi
Officials say the full list includes 25 corridors, all of which will undergo detailed engineering and safety assessments before implementation in phases.
Why These Roads Are Choking Traffic
Traffic studies show that several corridors suffer from closely spaced traffic signals, forcing repeated halts even on wide roads.
On Bhartendu Harishchandra Marg, there are 11 traffic signals within just 2 kilometres, between Karkardooma Mor and Yamuna Sports Complex T-point, leading to frequent stoppages and bottlenecks.
On Road No. 71 in East Delhi, commuters face six stoppages within 1.5 kilometres, including five signals and one intersection cut between Yojana Vihar and the Indraprastha University chowk.
Officials say such dense signal placement slows overall traffic movement and creates ripple congestion across adjoining corridors during peak hours.
A Low-Cost Fix With High Impact
Traffic officials say the back-to-back U-turn model is designed to deliver high-impact congestion relief at relatively low cost, compared to flyovers and underpasses.
The aim is to reduce stoppages, improve average traffic speed and cut fuel wastage caused by vehicles idling at intersections.
The model is also expected to work better in areas where construction is difficult due to dense development or limited right-of-way.
Traffic Strategy Under Wider Review
The proposal comes amid a broader review of traffic management in the capital.
In a recent high-level assessment, Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu reviewed Delhi's congestion situation with senior officials from the Delhi Police and traffic agencies.
The review focused on congestion hotspots, ongoing engineering interventions and the use of technology-driven traffic management systems. Officials said these measures have already shown improvement in traffic flow at several key stretches across the city.
The meeting underlined a broader shift in strategy, from building new infrastructure to redesigning existing road networks for better efficiency and smoother movement.
The Road Ahead
The Public Works Department (PWD) will hold further discussions with the Traffic Police to finalise implementation plans for the 25 corridors.
Each stretch will undergo detailed feasibility and safety checks before any traffic signal removal begins.
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