5 Things Indian Cities Should Do To Deal With The Menace Of Road Traffic

Citizens of Delhi/ NCR have, time and again, pondered over the possibilities of how to reduce the traffic congestion in the city, especially during the peak hours when it seems like the whole of Delhi is trying to get to a single destination, which coincidentally lies in your route. Not to enter into a competition here (because a few other cities probably have it even worst) but the traffic congestion in Delhi is solely responsible for at least two to three hours of the day going to dump. Multiple that by lakhs of individuals and you¡¯ll probably get a ballpark figure of how many man-hours are wasted on the roads of Delhi everyday.

Now since we are all well versed with the situation, there is no need to stress upon the problem any more than necessary. What we should be looking to do, is solve the problem through any and every possible way. For the same, here we list seven possible solutions to the traffic congestion that the country¡¯s capital faces everyday.

1. Ride Sharing

The most practical answer to the hoard of vehicles on the roads everyday is also the simplest one. To think of it, four individual vehicles will take a lot more space than a single one carrying all the travellers. As we keep increasing the numbers to fit the size of the vehicle, say a bus, we see a drastic difference in the amount of road area acquired by the travel modes.

Now let us be honest and say ¡°we¡¯ve all thought of it but...¡±. Well, that ¡®but¡¯ can account for several practical reasons, last mile connectivity, privacy and comfort being on top of them. To answer these, several initiatives in the form of mobile apps, forums and discussions on social media platforms can help people get connected to the right correspondent for a shared ride. In case you are not the ¡°online¡± types, speak to people within your organisation and you are sure to find someone travelling to and fro everyday from the same location as you. And an additional plus, you will socialise in the process. Win Win!

Indiatimes

Why ride sharing also accounts for one of the best solutions is because we can all opt for it as individuals and do not have to rely upon any other structural or organisational changes. There is no waiting for a new Metro line to be opened or a new bus service to start.

2. Public Cycling System

In a report by the High Powered Committee on Decongesting Traffic in Delhi, the Ministry of Urban Development Government of India mentioned the prevailing public bicycling system in various regions of China including Guangzhou and Taipei. The report goes on to visualise a similar cycle sharing station in Dwarka and the associated cost and timeline.

As per the report, a cycle sharing system comprising of 315 cycle stations and 4500 cycles will cost a Rs 60 Crore investment and will be completed within a 2-years window. Essentially, the cycle sharing system will solve the purpose of last mile connectivity and potentially even more for the cycling enthusiasts.

More importantly, it will leave no carbon footprint and will also contribute to a better overall citizen health of a place. The benefits to date have been good enough for many cities across the world, including Paris, Oslo, Gijon, Cordoba, Copenhagen and many more.

Centre for Green Mobility

3. Traffic Signal Alternatives

Now this encompasses several solutions that can be appointed on traffic signals. Rather than traditional Red/ Green light holding the massive amount of traffic for several minutes, a regular flow can be maintained through these alternatives.

Notably, several areas of Delhi appoint flyovers or underpasses to skip a traffic signal for majority of the traffic. These involve huge construction cost and time though. Some have incorporated roundabouts for the traffic management. However, there are several other options as well, including a hook turn (implemented in Melbourne, Australia) wherein the vehicles poised to take a right from a signal have to move towards the left, so that the traffic moving straight is unhindered.

Another option seen in some parts of NCR is the use of U-turns to completely do away with traffic signals.

Melburnian/ Wikipedia

4. Multi-Level Parkings

A solution specifically catering to the crowded public areas like several markets in Delhi, multi-level parkings can work wonders to de-congest the roads surrounding these markets. Parking areas in such markets, as it is, are not enough to cope with the incoming traffic, especially during festival days. The result is a long line of cars on the road either stuck in a jam or parked on the road sides. Pedestrians can also be seen making their way through the long maze of cars.

To avoid this, a multi-level parking can be used as the final checkpoint of any vehicle bound for that particular public place. Once the vehicle is parked, visitors can then go on foot (or by a cycle sharing system, if in place) to their desired location within the market/ public area. This will also allow the whole area to be a vehicle free-zone, a concept followed in numerous places facing traffic issues, including many parts of the US, Europe and even Asia.

BCCL

5. Smart Traffic Management Systems

After a decade of coming up with the idea, Delhi Police finally got the go-ahead for its Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) back in March this year. The first phase of the project is supposed to be completed by April 2019. As the name suggests, the traffic management system will minimise the human input to regulate traffic around the city. But how? Read on.

Peak hours of traffic see a uniformed flow of traffic from one direction to another. As you can understand from this, an equal duration of traffic signals at this point is not a very wise move. The new Intelligent Traffic Management System will figure this interval between the traffic signals of each direction based on an Artificial Intelligence algorithm that takes its inputs from a network of signals and cameras. Technically speaking, the ITMS will be able to execute a vehicle actuated traffic response, thus ensuring a less traffic congestion over a longer time.

In addition to the Wireless Traffic Signal Controller (Wi-TraC), the ITMS also appoints Red Light-Stop Line Violation & Detection System (RLSVDS), CCTV Junction Surveillance, Variable Message Sign (VMS) and a Video Incident Detection, all routing back to a Control and Command Centre. The entire array of technology can help detect, respond to and alert about any incident on the roads of Delhi to the authorities as well as commuters. It will also help to catch traffic violators through an entirely automated system.

DIMTS