 "Stuck in traffic? Gurugram to Delhi now takes longer than flying to Mumbai")
The Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, once hailed as a symbol of seamless connectivity, has devolved into a worrisome ordeal for commuters. With traffic moving at a snail’s pace, particularly during peak hours, the average speed barely surpasses 30 kmph. For many, the commute has become a daily test of patience.
“I feel like I spend more time in my car than with my family,” Nishant Srivastava, an IT professional who commutes between Gurugram and Delhi daily, told The Times of India.
A highway stretched beyond its limits
The expressway, which opened in 2008, was originally designed to accommodate a growing workforce living in Delhi and working in Gurugram. However, Gurugram’s explosive corporate and population growth has reversed this dynamic, with many now commuting from Gurugram to Delhi. The city’s population has doubled from 1.5 million in 2011 to over 3 million today, drastically increasing the traffic load.
“I dread an evening flight from IGI these days,” said Ruchi Gupta, a long-time Gurugram resident. “It takes me longer to get to the airport from my house on Golf Course Road Extension than to fly to Mumbai,” she said.
Bottlenecks and infrastructure strain
The congestion is further compounded by traffic from new highways, including the Sohna highway, Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, and Dwarka Expressway. One of the worst chokepoints is the MCD toll plaza at the Gurugram-Delhi border, where commercial vehicles halt to pay tolls, leading to kilometre-long queues.
“I’ve become so used to jams from Shankar Chowk that I always add 45 minutes to an hour to my travel time,” Rashi, an HR executive, told the news daily.
Ongoing construction at the Dwarka Expressway interchange near Mahipalpur has only exacerbated the problem. “The double whammy has virtually made the drive from Gurugram to Delhi the worst I’ve seen,” said Pankaj, a new Gurugram resident who commutes to Delhi for work.
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All-day traffic woes
What was once a peak-hour issue has now become an all-day nightmare. “Travelling in the afternoon used to mean smooth sailing, but that’s in the past. The Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway is clogged all day because of the toll and construction,” said Shailesh Ranjan, a resident of DLF-2, Gurugram.
Corporate exodus: Gurugram’s declining appeal
The relentless traffic has prompted some companies to consider relocating. A Fortune 500 CEO, who wished to remain anonymous, revealed plans to move operations from Gurugram to Aero City in Delhi. “Reaching Gurugram has been a big pain point for my staff, so we are moving to Aero City,” he said.
As Gurugram struggles with its image, Noida is emerging as a more attractive corporate hub. With superior connectivity and infrastructure, coupled with investor-friendly policies from the Uttar Pradesh government, Noida is fast gaining favour among businesses.
Real estate: A necessity rather than choice
Despite Gurugram’s traffic and civic issues, its real estate market remains in demand out of necessity. “People working in Gurugram have no option but to stay here to reach office on time,” noted a local real estate developer.
Hope on the horizon?
The National Highways Authority of India anticipates some relief once the Dwarka Expressway is completed. While parts of the project are expected to be operational by the end of this year, certain sections may face delays until March due to seasonal restrictions.
However, with air pollution rising and congestion showing no signs of abating, commuters are calling for urgent, coordinated intervention from the Delhi and Haryana governments. Until then, the expressway remains a daily battle for thousands, testing not just their patience but their health and well-being.