Peak Hour Closure for Accident-Prone Ghaziabad Expressway Loop
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to implement a significant traffic change on the busy Delhi-Meerut Expressway corridor. Starting Monday, the curved loop connecting the Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME) to NH9 near ABES Engineering College will be closed during peak hours.
The closure will be in effect daily from 6am to 9pm as authorities attempt to ease congestion and reduce accidents at what has become one of the most problematic merge points on this crucial transportation artery.
From Solution to Problem: The Loop's Troubled History
What makes this decision particularly noteworthy is that the loop itself is a relatively new infrastructure addition. The connector was opened just one year ago following persistent demands from local residents, especially those living in Crossings Republik who needed better access between NH9, the expressway, and Shahberi road.
However, what was intended to improve connectivity has ironically transformed into a major bottleneck on the high-speed corridor. Officials revealed that the DME and NH9 together handle nearly 4 lakh Passenger Car Units (PCU) every day, with approximately 50,000 PCU on the expressway alone.
An NHAI official explained the rationale behind the decision: "The DME is designed as an access-controlled expressway to ensure a smooth, uninterrupted journey from Delhi's Sarai Kale Khan to Meerut. In 2024, we added one more access point at the 18.6km mark for local commuters. But over time, it has become the most accident-prone stretch. After careful assessment, we decided the cut will remain closed during peak hours starting Monday."
Residents Voice Concerns Over Limited Alternatives
The closure has raised serious concerns among residents of Crossings Republik and surrounding areas who now face renewed connectivity challenges. Before the loop was constructed, commuters coming from Pratap Vihar couldn't directly access Shahberi road. The loop provided their only feasible crossing point, and with its near-daylong closure, they feel they're back to square one.
One resident highlighted the safety concerns: "Jaywalking across the expressway is not an option." The remaining alternatives include a vehicular underpass near the Continental Carbon factory and a narrow pedestrian underpass, both of which require long detours and are inadequate for handling regular footfall.
The project, along with a similar access cut at Lal Kuan, was announced in January last year with former Ghaziabad MP and Union Minister Gen (retd) VK Singh laying the foundation stone. Built at a cost of Rs 9.5 crore, both cuts were designed to offer controlled, limited access without disrupting high-speed movement along the expressway.
While NHAI initially maintained that the revised plan connecting Shahberi road with a curved loop extending from NH9 would streamline traffic without compromising safety, officials now insist the peak-hour closure is necessary to restore both safety and traffic flow on an expressway that was never designed for such unregulated merging.
