Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed expediting the safety audit of Yamuna Expressway, carried out by IIT-Delhi, by December 31, 2018, instead of earlier deadline of March 31, 2018.
Yamuna Expresway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) has further directed Jaypee Infratech Ltd. (JIL) to ensure installation of LED lights to begin in one month for phase 1 — up to Jewar Toll Plaza — by March end, 2019.
It is pertinent to mention that JIL has to ensure maintenance and all road safety measures during concessionaire period with YEIDA till 2048.
Yamuna Expressway authority has given ultimatum to the expressway’s toll operator Jaypee group to improve facilities or be ready to face action. Yamuna Expressway authority CEO Arunveer Singh had inspected the expressway and found many faults. He had asked Jaypee officials to improve management to avoid rampant road accidents, warning them that they would otherwise write to the State government to withdraw rights of toll collection by the Jaypee group.
“We have asked Jaypee group, Yamuna Expressway toll operator, to complete all standards or be ready to face the music,” Mr. Singh said, adding that another inspection will be conducted soon, and if all facilities are not found in place then action will be initiated.
Safety features
Notably, the Yamuna Expressway operator is yet to implement a number of necessary safety features, which were to be put in place by last month, especially considering the onset of the winter.
This was found during an inspection of the expressway by Mr. Singh.. Led by YEIDA, the team comprised experts from RITES, YEIDA’s technical consultant and representatives of Jaypee group. “We examined the expressway for each and every safety feature. These infrastructure enhancements need to be in place to assist commuters to have a smooth and safe drive along the high-speed corridor besides minimising accidents,” said Mr. Singh.
Maintenance
“We found that the concessionaire was not spending the 20% toll fee collected towards maintenance of the expressway,” he said. “We also found that vehicles being driven at over 120 kmph speed were not being fined by the operator, despite the speed limit being 100 kmph.” Mr. Singh also said.
Traffic violators
“There is no arrangement to catch errant traffic violators. The expressway lacks proper lights and other facilities. We have deployed some policemen at toll collection centres to regularise challans of errant drivers and have ordered improvement in quick response time,” he also said.
