Gurugram gets road people can walk on

Sukanya Sharma, Gurugram

GURUGRAM’s impressive skyline hides its ground reality: broken roads, ramshackle pavements and pools of stagnant water. There is a stand-out spot, though. It’s a small stretch of road, 2.4 km in length, unusually well-designed with a cycle path, vendor zones, bus stops, EV charging points, street lights, benches, pathways and greenery.

This is Gurugram’s first model road or ‘complete road’, which means people can travel safely here, using any means of transport. It runs parallel to the Delhi-Gurugram highway, an important intersection used daily by around 50,000 to 70,000 people. 

Originally named Sanath Road, this derelict stretch was 30 metres wide with a broken pavement and often waterlogged due to poor drainage. Encroachments, illegal parking and poor lighting completed the picture. Women avoided Sanath Road because it wasn’t considered safe. In just four years, there were 47 casualties due to road accidents.

Such was its condition that people working in nearby multinationals and residents of the adjoining Sector 18 held a ceremony to rename it Anath Road — meaning a road that had been ‘orphaned’ by civic agencies.

A decade later, Anath Road has a new name. It is now called Janpath, a street for everyone. Companies, government agencies and an NGO got together to transform it. Nagarro and Maruti Suzuki India, partnered the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN), the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and Raahgiri Foundation, an NGO. 

The idea was to work unitedly to enhance road safety. The project began with a survey in 2019, followed by design approval from GMDA the following year. Construction continued despite frustrating delays during the pandemic and, finally, this year the street was inaugurated in its new avatar.

Those who had witnessed its former version found the new street hard to recognize. The stretch that people once chose to avoid is now a popular pedestrian-friendly avenue, a hangout hub and a place to walk and talk.

“More streets need to become ‘janpaths’, or streets for people. The urban quality of life depends on the ubiquity of such streets. Without the ability to walk freely, safely and with dignity, we are a little like caged animals,” remarks Manas Human, co-founder and CEO, Nagarro.

 

The redesign plan comprehensively integrated all services — drainage, sewage, lighting, pedestrian needs and cycling infrastructure.

The work was divided with a strategy in place. GMDA, Nagarro and Raahgiri Foundation prepared the redesign plan. The MCG was given the responsibility of installing the new sewer line and cleaning the existing one. The DHBVN shifted power lines from overhead to underground. The footpath, cycle tracks and landscaping were developed by Raahgiri Foundation. Initial plans for redevelopment required felling of almost 300 trees. Nagarro spoke to government agencies who devised a plan that did not require a single tree to be felled.

The project’s launch was marked by a tree plantation drive along the road. One hundred and fifty volunteers planted 600 saplings. Due emphasis was given to native species to help combat waterlogging. Raahgiri also organized a walk down the street with students of Delhi Public School in Gurugram, who showed considerable enthusiasm while learning about the model street. 

Eco-friendly materials were used and a water recharge system put in place as well as solid waste management practices. Around 11,000 tonnes of construction and demolition waste were used to build the pathway, cycle track, seating, planters and walls. “The combination of innovative design and sustainable solutions has enhanced accessibility and safety for all road users while also addressing the impacts of climate change,” says Sarika Panda Bhatt, co-founder of Raahgiri Foundation.

About 150 dustbins have been installed along the curbs. Along with street waste, the bins also facilitate garbage removal from the village areas behind the road. There are 415 new street lights, making it safer for women. Ninety benches provide a place to sit and rest for the elderly and for youth to hang out. Six new bus stops are another useful addition.

The cycle path is being extensively used by people, especially those living in the vicinity, for commuting to work. “I have heard conversations where colleagues are competing about who took the least time to cross Janpath road on their cycle every morning,” says Shakti Singh, site engineer, Raahgiri Foundation.

The street has become a hangout hub — be it for a quick chai session in the middle of a busy working day or for a lunch meeting with colleagues. And sometimes just to take a walk and clear the mind, say a few professionals.

Vendors too have been included. “The new areas they have demarcated for us are easy to maintain,” says Mahesh, a vendor. “I like that my stall is now spruced up and I have been making an effort to keep it clean.” 

Gurugram’s first complete street with broad footpaths, a cycle path, greenery, benches and more

 

The revamped avenue is well lit. Street lights illuminate the footpaths and cycle track, not just the carriageway. The broad footpaths allow more people to walk together in groups which helps women feel safer even in the late hours. It is no longer isolated — the street’s lively atmosphere helps resolve safety concerns. Including women in every aspect of design, decision-making and construction has helped make this project gender-inclusive, says the team at Raahgiri.

“I save around Rs 50 to Rs 60 every day because I no longer have to look for a rickshaw to take me down the street. The lighting makes it easier and safer to walk,” says Shalini Mehta, who works in the area. Sabiha, who has recently joined Raahgiri and comes to Janpath for work, says, “As a woman, it makes me feel safer for two reasons: one is the new lighting, the second is that people now tend to walk in large groups — the open spaces make it much simpler for us to walk together.” 

“By prioritizing women’s safety, we have made Janpath a more inclusive and welcoming space for everyone,” remarks Bhatt. 

Preservation, plantation and use of eco-friendly materials along with implementation of advanced  technology like smart lighting and EV charging have created a road that can serve as a blueprint for the city’s maze of anath roads.