As a regular commuter in Guwahati, I have seen the traffic congestion on streets evolve from bad to worse in the last 10 years. It once used to be the unruly movement of city buses and their irregular stoppages that irked city dwellers often. Then came the app-based services like Uber and Ola, which led to a significant rise in the number of four-wheelers jamming the streets; while revolutionising the face of commutation in the city. If that wasn’t enough, be prepared to come across the ongoing construction of footbridges and flyovers within the city, which makes traffic worse during the rush hours.

Every construction project in the city seems to last for around one-two year long; with a stipulated completion timeline of 30 months per project on average. In a span of two years, commuters have struggled through the completion of the extended flyover construction, connecting RG Baruah road to the existing Ganeshguri flyover; the Dispur flyover construction, and several modern foot overbridges built within the city during this time frame. While on the topic, construction of the Maligaon-Kamakhya flyover and the Sarabhati Chariali flyover is still ongoing, along with the addition of the newly started Zoo Road Tiniali flyover construction. These constructions alone are causing city commuters to brave through harrowing traffic conditions every day. And there are more upcoming constructions of footbridges and flyovers in the pipeline.

Admitted, they are part of the larger infrastructure development project towards transforming Guwahati into a smart city and are aimed towards easing the traffic congestion in the long run. However, will these new flyovers imply no more traffic jams? It does not look like it. 

The root causes of congestion go unseen

Unfortunately, the factors discussed above form only half of the reasons leading to the worsening state of traffic in the city. The truth is, while more over-bridges can help in diverting traffic routes, the need of the hour is strict enforcement of traffic regulations and an active solution to unplanned parking menace and roadside vendors setting up shops.

The root cause is not just the rising number of vehicles plying on road, nor the ongoing constructions blocking parts of a busy road. Rather, the fault lies in the way we drive our vehicles. It’s no surprise to see cars switching lanes mid-way; bikes navigating through narrow passages (causing vehicles behind them to halt or slow down) and flunking traffic rules rather obnoxiously on a regular basis.

In case you weren’t aware, switching lanes to get out of traffic jams actually extends the overall length of congestion on road. Think of it this way - just a single car or bike switching lanes on a particular route will cause the vehicles behind them to slow down by a fraction of seconds. Causing a chain reaction, the rest of the vehicles on that route will also have to slow down. Now, a delay by a couple of seconds may seem harmless. And in theory, it may not be a big deal. However, the practical reality is that every other car or bike in Guwahati does not think twice before jumping lanes. On the contrary, switching lanes in the city is perceived as a ‘necessity’ to beat the congestion and get ahead. The end result is longer congestion on road lasting up to several minutes at a time, coupled with signal stoppages, the abrupt halting of cars to secure parking on the sideways, and so on. This brings us to the issue of negligence on part of both the onlookers and traffic police towards these seemingly minor traffic violations.

How can we beat traffic in the city?

First things first, we do need strict enforcement of traffic laws, which ensures that all vehicles abide by the norms and limit untimely switching of lanes. By being patient and responsible on road, we can resolve half the problems related to traffic congestions ourselves.

Next up is an urgent call to solve the unplanned parking menace in the city. Road-side parking is unfortunately not the answer. Govt. intervention is needed to create defined parking spaces all across the city with ample parking slots in every area.

Along with unplanned car parking, roadside shops set up by various vendors also lead to congestions on road. Beltola Bazaar and Ganeshguri market areas are prime examples in this context.

Last but definitely not least, the bigger responsibility to counter the traffic menace falls on us. The number of cabs and private cars on road is increasing by the day. No one can defy the convenience and necessity catered by private transportation modes. However, it is also not making the traffic lighter. Instead, the air we breathe is getting heavier with pollutants due to too many vehicles running on roads. Simple practices like taking the bus more often, walking to nearby areas than taking the car or bike, practising carpooling with colleagues, and so on can help in relieving a load of congestion greatly; and also aid in reducing pollution. More awareness is required among the public for choosing responsible commuting on road, backed by effective Govt. Measures to ease the traffic congestion in Guwahati city.