Is it safe to cross the road in Jamia?

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Jamia Millia Islamia is a premier institute of education in the capital city of New Delhi that offers limitless opportunities to its students and experiences never seen before. One of these experiences also includes students playing with their lives crossing ill-planned roads on a regular basis. JMI has a sprawling campus that spans across two sides of a very busy road in Jamia nagar, Okhla.

The busy Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Road has thousands of bustling small and big vehicles like buses, trucks and SUVs running at high speeds each day, ranging between 45-50 km/hr, despite it being strictly a university area. Crossing from Gate 7 to 8 is not for the faint hearted. Across this almost 1.5 km long stretch from Gate 1 to Jamia Metro Station, there are no red lights. The situation gets worse by the absence of proper speed breakers, or even a zebra crossing. The speed breaker at Gate 7 is worn down and does not do a good job at stopping vehicles.

It is also positioned too far from the gate, thus cars are not stopped to a safe speed and can easily accelerate by the time they reach the point where students cross the loroad. There are yellow signs at short distances advising the vehicles to go slow but they are mostly covered by trees and pare mostly ignored by drivers. A large number of E-rickshaws parked in front of the gates and the barricades present between the roads significantly decrease its already narrow width and increase the conflict points between cars and pedestrians.

The street lights are hidden between the trees and the road is poorly lit at night, making it a hazard for crossing pedestrians. Similarly, the absence of traffic lights, speed cameras, and pedestrian friendly infrastructure have all contributed towards making the road a hotspot for accidents.

As one among the hundreds of students crossing the road daily, it's horrifying when such speeding vehicles are coming at you from both sides, especially when I'm in a hurry to reach my class. The guards at the gates are only to check ids and could care less if a car hits you. It's on the University to place proper traffic measures to ensure the safety of students. And the high speed cars are not without victims.

The Jamia review reached out to a student who met with an accident while crossing the road recently and they said “ I tend to be more cautious now on the road. But I just hope drivers are more careful and respectful on the road.” When asked about the effect such accidents have she said “ Mentally, too such accidents take a toll on you even if not very serious.”. She further highlighted how bikers around campus often use the wrong lanes causing difficulties to the pedestrians. Not just humans, but many small animals like cats and dogs are also severely injured due to fast moving vehicles.

Jamia Metro station, located on the Magenta line of the Delhi Metro is a crucial transit point for hundreds of commuting to students daily. It is situated on a bustling road with heavy traffic flow from Sukhdev Vihar, Julena, nearby campus e-rickshaws filled with students, Batla house and the Tikona park side. The roads from 4 routes converge at a relatively narrow and high-speed intersection.

Jamia Millia Islamia’s primary school is located at Gate No. 18, alongside the Fine Arts Department. In front of it lies a makeshift pedestrian crossing—a temporary solution that only highlights the need for a safer, more permanent fix. This crossing is in poor condition, with small ditches and no designated zebra-crossing, making passersby nearly invisible to fast-moving vehicles, especially at night due to inadequate overhead lighting. The crossing is also narrow, posing a high risk for injury to students, particularly young children, as they move across to reach the school.

E-rickshaws commonly drop children near this makeshift path to avoid taking U-turns, further making it crowded around the crossing. The area also lacks a clear school sign and a well-maintained speed breaker at the gate entrance. The existing speed breaker has worn smooth over time, failing to reduce vehicle speed, which further endangers the students' safety.

Tikona Park sits at a busy crossroad near the jamia metro station, acting as a roundabout for several crowded streets. At night, the area becomes so packed that there’s hardly space for people to walk. The roads are filled with pits, and the only lighting comes from nearby eateries and markets, as there are few streetlights. There are no stop signs, traffic signals, or clear right-of-way, which makes it chaotic to move through. The road, which would ideally be one-way, has been turned into a two-way, adding to the congestion and safety issues for everyone.

WHO reports 1.19 million road crash deaths annually, around the world. Road safety is crucial for a country’s travel security and public health. Pedestrian-friendly infrastructure keeps commuters informed and alert, providing drivers with clear instructions about turns, crowded areas, and merging traffic. However, the roads in and around Jamia Nagar contain numerous blind spots, which increase risks for both pedestrians and drivers.

Visually challenged individuals find it difficult to cross from one side to another, a common issue in areas lacking essential features like zebra crossings. As a result, pedestrians often cross wherever they find an opening, putting their safety at risk. The road leading to Jamia’s VC lodge and hostels near Gate 20 requires widening, but it also faces additional challenges.

An auto-rickshaw stand, lacking clear signage, occupies space on an already narrow, congested road. With sharp curves and limited visibility for traffic from both directions, safer, gentle curves are needed to reduce speed, prevent skidding, by providing proper signage for slippery roads and regular maintenance of potholes, and improve visibility.

Such areas with poor drainage and erratic rains are also prone to hydroplaning i.e. when a vehicle's tires lose contact with the road surface due to a layer of water, causing a loss of traction and control. Traffic calming is a significant step to ensure road safety and could reduce mishaps by up to 40%. In residential areas, where Indian drivers often speed above safe limits of 30-40 km/h, effective traffic calming measures are essential to prevent accidents.

A balanced approach using both physical and visual strategies can significantly improve safety. Physical measures like speed breakers and raised crosswalks help reduce vehicle speeds, while visual elements such as planted sidewalks, painted pathways, and clear signage alert drivers and encourage caution. Unfortunately, poor urban planning all over Delhi has resulted in haphazard development and bad traffic design that endangers the lives of many people around the campus each day.

Ground Report for The Jamia Review by Gunjit Verma, Nausheen Ali Nizami and Ayesha Alim.