Traffic management in Dehradun has always been a challenge during the peak hours. With the new system established on Subhash Road with the help of Saint Joseph’s Academy (SJA), Dehradun police have succeeded to some extent in managing traffic outside the school.

 However, people have started questioning the use this new system has for the majority of commuters in Dehradun. According to them, the traffic department needs to focus on the problems at main junctions in the city.

The system on Subhash Road, though a good initiative, is not affecting the majority of people commuting and facing traffic congestion on city roads every day.

The district traffic department is patting its back since the new system of traffic management has been introduced on Subhash Road. However, commuters continue to face problems at the main junctions including, Clock Tower, Arhat Bazaar, Saharanpur Chowk, Tehsil Chowk, Prince Chowk and Doon Hospital Chowk.

A senior officer of the transport department said that the biggest reason of accidents and traffic congestion in the city is that the concept of carrying capacity is being ignored.

The officer said, “In India, we do not have any policy for the carrying capacity of humans, animals or vehicles. The state is overflowing with vehicles and tourists every year, but we have limited space.

 Unless there is some strict policy in favour of carrying capacity of vehicles in the region, no matter how strict the enforcement is, the situation will remain the same.”  An e-rickshaw driver at MKP Chowk said, “This Chowk is always crowded, sometimes the traffic police is present sometimes not.

The traffic here has worsened since the start of monsoon as the area is often filled with water. Especially during the closing time of The Heritage School, the traffic congestion here is at peak. Now that the work to clean the drains is also ongoing here, even during non-peak hours the traffic is congested here.”

It is pertinent to mention here that, after receiving number of complaints repeatedly regarding traffic congestion at Saharanpur Chowk and Arhat Bazaar, Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) told two inspectors of City Patrol Unit (CPU) to inspect the area during peak hours, however the traffic situation there has not yet improved.

Observers point out that since being made the provisional state capital after creation of Uttarakhand in 2000, the traffic in Dehradun has surpassed the carrying capacity of city roads. With various city roads narrowed down further by encroachments in various locations, traffic congestion is likely to worsen in the future considering the consistent rise in local traffic coupled with the substantial floating population of vehicles carrying tourists and pilgrims.