Dr Muhmmad Amin Malik
Maruti-800 was a sensation on our roads in the late 1980s. Those were calm and pleasant days, with the smooth flow of traffic a sight worth watching and no jams whatsoever. In just four decades everything has changed. Today new advanced and varied automobiles are filling every available space which blocks the view of once-beautiful surroundings. In city or the town lanes, the vehicles are permanently lined up on both sides of the roads. With no space for parking in their homes, the residents leave their vehicles permanently on public roads. On the main roads, buses, matadors, cars, 3-wheelers, pushcarts and pedestrians move haphazardly, stopping anywhere-even in the middle of the road, giving rise to endless phantom traffic jams.
Behind the crawling vehicles, you will find a long queue of other stranded automobiles desperately seeking an escape route. It is so infuriating to be stuck behind a slow-moving car/three-wheeler, only to later discover, the driver casually engaged on a phone conversation, unconcerned about the growing line of vehicles behind. Municipality Garbage trucks arrive at peak hours, creating bottlenecks. The reckless and haphazard parking of vehicles on main roads and encroachment of footpath adds to the problems. Constant truck movement, potholes, and bumpy roads worsen the mess. Overall, the problem stems more from indiscipline than from the sheer volume of vehicles on the roads.
The consequences of traffic congestion extend far beyond mere inconvenience; they affect our productivity, air quality and overall wellbeing. The fuel wasted as vehicles crawl in lower gears, not only drives up costs but also causes air pollution. One can imagine the impact of lacks of vehicles emitting pollutants like particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides etc into the atmosphere on daily basis across our cities/towns. Remember, transportation is the largest source of carbon emissions and more vehicles means further from our climate goals. Besides, it leads to health issues like asthma and heart disease, while the prolonged waiting in queues causes stress and other health problems.
If roads remain clogged for hours, it disrupts the daily life and economic activities. At time even the ambulances remain trapped in traffic jams putting lives at risk. This entire situation unknowingly siphons billions from the public exchequer while inflicting significant harm on the environment and wellbeing of the people. Despite new strategies, thousands of additional vehicles hit the roads every month, worsening the situation further. Sometime it looks that we can’t resolve the problem for many many years to come. The crisis demand urgent attention as it is deeply linked to road safety, environmental sustainability and overall well-being of people.
Addressing traffic congestion and violations demands a holistic, multi-faceted approach. It requires integrating awareness programs, strict enforcement, efficient public transport and infrastructure development. While much has been written about the government policies, not much attention has been paid to the road behaviour of the general public. It is an issue that is often overlooked in society. Generally speaking, people have poor traffic literacy and road ethics and the violations largely happen due to ignorance or negligence rather than deliberate actions.
The awareness programs can play a crucial role in addressing violations, reckless driving and traffic congestion. Counselling drivers, transporters, commuters, pedestrians and general public about traffic rules, responsible driving and road safety measures, can sensitize people and instil traffic ethics in their daily lives. Traffic police and allied agencies should conduct regular counselling sessions, deploying expert teams to engage with drivers and people at bus yards, taxi/auto stands and truck terminals. These sessions should feature live demonstrations, documentaries and informative materials highlighting the consequences of traffic violations, reckless driving, wrong parking and footpath encroachments.
A clear advisory must go that roads are public spaces and no one has the right to cause disruptions on roads. Commuters need to be informed about the impact of crowding near bus stops and junctions. The traffic rules and laws in the UT have to be made more stringent to ensure better compliance and discipline among the commuters. We have seen digital monitoring systems and surveillance through CCTV cameras which needs further augmentation using Smart traffic signal devices to accommodate traffic demands. In recent years, we have seen lot of improvements in issuing driving licences but those who have already obtained licences through shortcut methods over the years are there on the roads driving vehicles.
Driving is not a mechanical skill but a culture and an attitude. If people are considerate, disciplined and law-abiding on the roads, they likely exhibit similar traits in other aspects of life. Getting a driving licence is not a matter of right but a privilege which one has to earn by studying traffic rules, taking trainings in driving schools and appearing in the driving test. The traffic police struggle to enforce regulations effectively due to limited human resources. To improve compliance with traffic rules and ensure swift enforcement, certain levels of gazetted officers at the District/Tehsil level should be empowered to impose fines on offenders through an online portal as part of their routine duties. This would deter habitual offenders, keep them under constant scrutiny and promote transparency in traffic enforcement.
Old vehicles with inefficient engines are major contributors to pollution and congestion. A zero-tolerance approach should be adapted to phase them out while also reducing the operational lifespan of general vehicles on the roads. Footpath encroachments directly impact pedestrian safety and traffic flow. The municipality and traffic police should coordinate to ensure that footpaths remain clear for public use. A dedicated task force comprising R&B and municipal authorities should be established to address minor road repairs at critical junctions strategically targeting bottlenecks and making more parking places. There is a concept in transportation planning called “induced demand”. Building more and bigger roads attracts more people to drive which cause more congestion and, in some cases, making the situation worse. The key to resolving the issue is ensuring a continuous and smooth traffic flow by removing all obstacles along the way.
By implementing these measures, we can significantly improve traffic discipline and behaviour, reduce congestion, promote pedestrian safety and enhance road safety for all. All in all, we need the services of brilliant and dedicated officers who can think out of box to devise solutions and implement these measures effectively. It is crucial that, we as a society begin to address this issue. We need better education on traffic rules and road ethics to instil basic civic sense and responsible citizenship. Only then, can we hope to alleviate the daily chaos in cities across Kashmir and make our roads safer and more organized for everyone.
The author can be reached at amin_malik_ku@hotmail.com
