Landscape Elements of AIIMS flyover design, Delhi

1. TRYAMBAKESH SHUKLA
BACHELOR OF PLANNING
BP/463/2008
SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE

2. THE DELHI MASTER PLAN - 2021
THE MASTER PLAN 2021 OF DELHI SEEKS TO MAKE THE CITY MORE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY. IT PROPOSES
THAT THE MAJOR WORK CENTRES WHERE PEDESTRIAN NETWORKS EMERGE AND
CULMINATE, SHOULD HAVE ENHANCED PEDESTRIANS FACILITIES.
IT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT PEDESTRIAN NETWORKS AFFECT SPACES IN A VERY DISTINCTIVE WAY.
PEDESTRIAN NETWORKS REVEAL THE VITALITY OF AN AREA. THEY PROVIDE RICHNESS IN TERMS OF
SPATIAL EXPERIENCE AND COMMUNITY INTERACTION ETC.
THE DELHI MASTER PLAN ALSO STATES THAT:
 DELHI NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED TO INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS IN MATTERS OF URBAN TRANSPORT
AND THEREFORE SEVERAL AREAS NEED TO BE DECONGESTED.
 INCREASED ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSIT FACILITIES SHOULD BE PROVIDED.
 THE MASTER PLAN PROPOSES PEDESTRIANISATION OF HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT PLACES, LIKE
CONNAUGHT PLACE, CHANDNI CHOWK AND KAROL BAGH PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY.
THE MASTER PLAN HOWEVER,
 DOES NOT DISCOURAGE GRADE SEPARATED JUNCTIONS AND INDICATES THE NEED OF
INTERSECTIONS WITH GRADE SEPARATORS.
 IT PROPOSES ELEVATED ROAD STRUCTURES TO PROVIDE UNINTERRUPTED FLOW TO TRAFFIC
THROUGH PROVISION OF GRADE SEPARATORS, CLOVERLEAVES AND LEFT SLIP ROADS AT
INTERSECTIONS OF ALL ROADS OF 30 M. AND ABOVE ROW. (HOWEVER, IT HAS PUT A RIDER THAT GRADE
SEPARATED JUNCTIONS SHALL BE CONSIDERED IF THERE IS NO OTHER POSSIBILITY OF IMPROVING TRAFFIC
FLOW.)
 FURTHER IT SHOULD ALSO BE ENSURED THAT PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS CONTINUE TO HAVE
SAFE AND CONVENIENT ACCESS TO THE JUNCTION.

3. AIIMS FLYOVER
 AIIMS FLYOVER IS LOCATED IN ANSARI NAGAR IN SOUTH DELHI. IT IS ADJACENT TO THE SOUTH
EXTENSION-II MARKET, AND LIES ON THE SOUTH-EASTERN QUADRANT OF AURBINDO MARG AND
INNER RING ROAD CROSSING.
 DELHI’S FIRST SITE SPECIFIC, STAINLESS STEEL CONTEMPORARY SCULPTURE, ‘SPROUTS’, A
PROJECT DESIGNED BY JINDAL STAINLESS LIMITED.
 CONCEPTUALISED IN 2007 BY SCULPTOR VIBHOR SOGNAI, SPROUTS HAS TWO CLUSTERS OF
GIANT METALLIC SPROUTS -- ONE HAS EIGHT, WITH THE TALLEST ONE 35 FEET TALL, WHILE THE
OTHER CLUSTER HAS OVER 400 SMALLER SPROUTS, 3 - 5 FEET HIGH. MADE OF RUST-FREE, 304
AND 316 GRADE STAINLESS STEEL, THE SCULPTURE IS ORGANIC TO ITS LOCATION.
 THE GLOBES OF THE SPROUT HAVE
BEEN DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT
THE TOP HALF REFLECTS THE SKY AND
LOWER HALF THE GREEN ON THE
GROUND.
 THE GROUND ITSELF HAS BEEN RE-
LANDSCAPED BY RAVI PUNDE AND
SPECIAL LIGHTING HAS BEEN DONE BY
CAURTNEY MARK FROM THE UNITED
KINGDOM.

4. AIIMS CLOVERLEAF AND ITS APPENDAGES
BEFORE AIIMS CLOVER LEAF FLYOVER WAS BUILT IT ……..AFTER AIIMS CLOVER LEAF FLYOVER HAS BEEN
WAS POSSIBLE TO TAKE THE SHORTEST DIRECT ROUTE BUILT WALKING DISTANCE HAS INCREASED
TO DELHI HAAT BUT……….. MANIFOLD
 WALKWAYS AROUND HOSPITAL DO NOT ADDRESS SPECIFIC NEEDS OF AILING VISITORS: THE
PEDESTRIAN WAYS AROUND THE ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES THAT NUMBER TO
A LARGE NUMBER OF AILING PEOPLE VISITING THE HOSPITAL PRESENTS A DICHOTOMOUS
SITUATION.
 THE CLOVERLEAF FLYOVER THAT HAS BEEN CREATED IN ITS VICINITY OF AIIMS HAS DISRUPTED AT-
GRADE CONTINUITY IN ITS PROXIMITY, AND INCREASED DISTANCES FOR THE AILING VISITORS
APPROACHING THE HOSPITAL FROM THE SIDE OF THE RING ROAD.

5. AIIMS CLOVERLEAF AND ITS APPENDAGES
THE CLOVERLEAF AT THIS JUNCTION HAS PUT AN END TO ALL
PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE AIIMS AREA OF
AUROBINDO MARG WITH THAT OF THE DELHI HAAT AREA.
GUIDELINES BRINGS OUT THAT THESE SENSITIVE AREAS WILL
REQUIRE A SPECIAL FOCUS FOR DESIGNING OF THE
PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS – ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF KEEPING
THE DIRECT ROUTES FROM ALL ACCESS POINTS AT GRADE.
IF SUBWAYS BECOME ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL IN VICINITY OF
THE HOSPITALS IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE THEM HUNDRED OBSTRUCTION EVEN IN SUBWAY
PER CENT HANDICAP FRIENDLY WITH SUPPORTIVE TOOLS.
THIS HAS NOT ONLY DIVIDED THE
INSTEAD THE SUBWAYS ARE CLUTTERED WITH DIRT AND
URBAN SPACE BUT HAS EXEMPLIFIED
UNWANTED MAINTAINCE TOOLS.
THE INEQUITY IN ALLOCATION OF
ROAD SPACE. IN THE VICINITY OF THE
POORLY BUILT FOOTPATHS:
TWO BIG HOSPITALS OF DELHI, THE
ABSENCE OF DISABLED FRIENDLY FOOTPATHS: INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE DISABLED
IS ALMOST ABSENT ON THE
WALKWAYS AROUND HOSPITALS DO NOT ADDRESS SPECIFIC
SIDEWALKS EXCEPT AT THE BUS
NEEDS OF AILING VISITORS:
STOPS.

6. AIIMS CLOVERLEAF AND ITS APPENDAGES
 THE CLOVERLEAF FLYOVER CREATED TO
EASE CONTINUOUS FLOW OF TRAFFIC HAS
COMPLETELY SEVERED THE CONNECTION.
 AT LEAST IN ONE DIRECTION THE
VULNERABLE POPULATION HAS TO USE
THE SUBWAYS. THE RING ROAD HAS
BECOME SO WIDE AND HEAVILY
MOTORIZED THAT AT GRADE CROSSING IS
NOW NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE.
 THE SIDES ARE NOT EASILY ACCESSIBLE DILLI
AIIMS
THROUGH DIRECT SHORTEST ROUTE. FLYOVER
HAAT
 IN FACT THE ASSESSMENT SHOWS THAT AIIMS
WALK ACROSS FROM AIIMS TO DELHI
HAAT NOW TAKES LONGER TIME
THROUGH CIRCUITOUS ROUTES CUTTING
ACROSS UNFRIENDLY PASSES AND
SUBWAYS.
 THE CLOVERLEAF AT THIS JUNCTION HAS
PUT AN END TO ALL PEDESTRIAN
CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE AIIMS AREA
OF AUROBINDO MARG WITH THAT OF THE
DELHI HAAT AREA.

7. AIIMS CLOVERLEAF AND ITS APPENDAGES
SHRINKING SPACE AND JAY WALKING: PEDESTRIAN SPACE SURRENDERED TO VEHICLES:
 MOST SIDEWALKS ARE SEVERELY  NEAR THE YUSUF SARAI MARKET, THE
OBSTRUCTED, BOTH TEMPORARY AND CONSTRUCTION OF METRO RAIL HAS EATEN UP
PERMANENT OBSTRUCTIONS. THE SPACE ALLOCATED FOR PEDESTRIANS AND
THE HEAVY PEDESTRIAN VOLUME IS
 SPACES HAVE ALSO BEEN TAKEN UP BY THE ACCOMMODATED WITHIN A NARROW STRIP OF
ILLEGAL AND UNPLANNED MARKETS AND 1.3 MTS – 0.90 MTS.
HAWKERS.
 CLEARLY, CARS ARE TAKING OVER THE
 THE DIRECT AND AT-GRADE CROSSING IS LEGITIMATE SPACE OF WALKERS. PARKING OF
BLOCKED BY THE BARRICADES FOR MOTORIZED VEHICLES ON FOOTPATHS HAS BECOME
TRAFFIC, OFTEN PEOPLE ARE SEEN JAY WALKING CHRONIC.
COMPROMISING SAFETY
 PARKED CARS ARE TAKING AWAY NEARLY THE
 THIS HAS ALSO BROUGHT FORTH THE CONCERN ENTIRE WALK SPACE AND FORCING PEOPLE TO
OVER THE ROAD DESIGNS THAT MAKE ROUTES WALK ON ROADS IN SHEER MODAL CONFLICT.
LONGER AND DIFFICULT FOR PEDESTRIANS.
SHOPS ASSERT PROPRIETARY RIGHTS OVER FOOTPATH WIDTH OF FOOTPATH REDUCED DURING METRO CONSTRUCTION

8. AIMS FLYOVER
AIIMS FLYOVER BEFORE LANDSCAPING

9. AIMS FLYOVER
AIIMS FLYOVER AFTER LANDSCAPING

10. OBSERVATION
COMBINATION OF SMALL AND LARGE EARTH MOUNDS
CREATES A DOMINANT LANDFORM THAT:
 DOMINATES THE VISION AT HIGH SPEED.
 ENFRAMES THE LARGE AND COMPLEX ROAD
STRUCTURE
USE OF VEGETATION (PREDOMINANTLY GROUND COVER
AND SMALL SHURBS) ALONG WITH STEEL STRUCTURE
CONTEMPORATRY SCLUPTURES CONCEPTUALISED BY
SCULPTOR VIBHOR SONGAI.

11. OBSERVATION
THOUGH THE FLYOVER HAS CREATED CONTINOUS FLOW
OF TRAFFIC AND SERVED THE CONNECTION; THERE IS NO
EASY PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY.
SPACE JUST BELOW THE FLYOCVER ARE UNUTILIZED THAT
CAN ACT AS AN INTERCHANGE SPACE FOR PEDESTRIANS.

12. OBSERVATION
THERE ARE TWO CLUSTUR SPROUTS – ONE HAS 8 NO.
WITH THE TALLEST ONE 35’ TALL WHILE THE OTHER
CLUSTER HAS NO. OF SMALL SPROUTS 3-5’ TALL.
THE GLOBES OF THE SPROUTS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED IN
SUCH A WAY THAT THE TOP HALF REFLECTS THE SLY AND
THE LOWER HALF THE GREEN ON THE GROUND.

13. OBSERVATION
THE MEDIAN IS TOTALLY HARDSCAPE AND THERE IS
NO PLANTATION.
LOOSE PEDESTRIAN LINKS, BADLY MAINTAINED AND
ABSENCE OF CROSS WALK FACILITIES (AT
GRADE, SUBWAY AND FOOT OVER BRIDGE), HAS HIGH
MODAL CONFLICT.

14. OBSERVATION
THE ZONES OUTSIDE THE LOOP ARE IN A STATE OF NEGLECT WHICH CAN BE IMPROVED
WITH DISTINCT AND NON – DISTRACTING TREATMENT WHICH SHOULD AT THE SAME TIME
BE VISUALLY SIGNIFICANT OVER A SHORT TIME FRAME.

15. INFERENCES
 AIIMS AND ITS APPENDAGES MAY LOOK DECEPTIVELY NICE BUT IT IS NOT PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY.
THIS SITE HAS SCORED LOW BECAUSE OF TOO MUCH DEPENDENCE ON SUBWAYS THAT HAS
INCREASED WALKING DISTANCES AND ARE NOT EASILY NEGOTIABLE BY THE AILING VISITORS;
SEVERANCE OF LANDSCAPE, NARROW AND HIGHLY ENCROACHED FOOTPATHS.
 WALK FACILITIES NEAR HOSPITALS LIKE AIIMS NEED TO BE HUNDRED PER CENT HANDICAP
FRIENDLY WITH SUPPORTIVE TOOLS IF SUBWAYS BECOME ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
 UNFORTUNATELY, OBSESSION WITH SEAMLESS, SIGNAL FREE TRAVEL FOR MOTORIZED VEHICLES
THROUGH FLYOVERS, EXPRESSWAYS AND ELEVATED WAYS, IS DISRUPTING DIRECT SHORTEST
ROUTES OF THE WALKERS AND INCREASING DISTANCES AND TRAVEL TIME FOR WALKERS. THIS
CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT PUBLIC TRANSPORT USAGE.

16. CASE STUDY : PARC NUS DE LA TRINITAT, BRACELONA
PARC NUS DE LA TRINITAT (1993) IS LOCATED IN ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ROAD NETWORKS IN
BRACELONA.
PARC NUS DE LA TRINITAT, BRACELONA IS DONE BY JOAN ROIG AND ENRIC BATLLE IS IN NORTH EAST
BRACELONA, INSIDE A CIRCULAR MOTORWAY JUNCTION. THE SCALE OF THE SIX HECTARE PARK IS
DEFINED BY A FRAMEWORK OF TREES FORMING A SPATIALLY EFFECTIVE FILTER BETWEEN THE
MOTORWAYS AND THE PARK. A CIRCULAR GALLERY DIVIDES THE PARK INTO AN INNER AND AN
OUTER AREA.
THE PARK LOCATION IS DEFINITELY DIFFICULT, WITH MULTIPLE LANES
OF CONVERGING TRAFFIC. THE USE OF BUFFERING BANDS OF
VEGETATION, WATER AND BEAMING CREATES SEPARATION FROM
THE IMMEDIATE CONTEXT, TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN’T SEE
ANY OF THE TRAFFIC WAYS FROM THE PARK INTERIOR.

17. DEISGN CONCEPT AND FEATURES
OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC CONNECTIVITY IS THE KEY TO MAKING THIS A SUCCESSFUL SPACE AS WELL AS
THE SIZE, TO ALLOW FOR SPACES TO BE SEPARATED FROM THE TRAFFIC LANES TO A DEGREE WHERE
THEY CAN STAND ON THEIR OWN WITH ADJACENT BUFFERING.
WITH PUBLIC OPEN SPACES AT A PREMIUM THE DESIGNERS PLANNED OUT A VERY DENSE PROGRAM
ARRANGED WITHIN TWO SEMICIRCULAR BRANDS AROUND A CENTRAL CIRCULAR GREEN SPACE.
IT INCLUDES A WATER CHANNEL, TWO TENNIS
COURT, URBAN FARM GARDENS, A VOLLEYBALL COURT, A
BASKETBALL COURT, A MINI FOOTBALL PITCH AND PICNIC
AREAS.
THE LAYOUT NO DOUBT ECHOES THE PRESENCE OF THE
RING ROADS, NEVERTHELESS THE ROUNDABOUT AND ITS
TRAFFIC ARE VISUALLY AND AURALLY SCREENED OUT:
 THROUGH GRADE CHANGES
 LANDFORM CONSTRUCTION AND STRATEGIC
PLANNING