Unauthorised bus stands & random stops turn Guwahati roads into gridlock

Guwahati, Dec 11: Flyovers were designed to ease Guwahati's chronic traffic snarls, but the reality on the ground tells a very different story. The Jalukbari flyover, inaugurated in 2019 with the promise of smoother movement, has instead turned into one of the city's worst chokepoints.

Long, slow-moving queues of vehicles have become a daily ordeal, with commuters blaming the situation not on the flyover's design but on the lack of enforcement by traffic police personnel.

Parts of the structure have effectively been converted into makeshift 'bus stands,' creating blockages from both directions and turning the busy transport corridor into a bottleneck.

Regular commuters, especially those travelling to and from Gauhati University and other offices and institutions in the area, say the congestion has worsened in recent months.

"Morning or evening, crossing the flyover without getting stuck is impossible now. We see traffic personnel around, but they do almost nothing to control the illegal stoppages," said a faculty member who uses the route every day.

The complaint is not limited to occasional interruptions; users describe the location as consistently chaotic, with public transport operators stopping wherever they find space, regardless of the resulting disruption.

Unauthorised bus stands are not confined to Jalukbari. Similar scenes unfold at Khanapara, another critical entry point to the city.

Commuters report that interdistrict and inter-state buses halt on the highway despite the presence of designated spaces at the ISBT and other approved locations.

"Crossing Khanapara at certain times of the day is an ordeal. How can a bus stand simply come up on the highway when proper infrastructure exists elsewhere?" asked another frustrated commuter, noting that even short-distance trips now take significantly longer due to arbitrary stopping patterns.

City buses remain one of the biggest contributors to the mess. Drivers stop in the middle of busy roads to pick up passengers, disregarding both traffic rules and com-muter safety. Green buses, introduced under public transport reforms to improve mobility, have also drawn criticism for their aggressive competition and disregard for designated stops.

“They are the worst offenders. They race each other on main roads and never use the proper stands. The entire traffic flow gets held hostage,” said Bipul Das an Ola driver who frequently travels through the busiest intersections in Guwahati.

Adding to the congestion, auto rickshaws and e-rickshaws have created informal stands at random places throughout the city. These clusters of parked vehicles leave little room for movement, especially during peak hours.

"Is there no regulatory authority at all? How can they occupy any part of the road and convert it into a stand? The city police and transport department seem totally in-different," said Vaishali Dutta, a daily office commuter.

Residents also point out the stark contrast in enforcement during VIP movements. Traffic discipline, often missing on regular days, becomes stringent when senior dignitaries such as the Chief Minister or the Governor are on the move.

"When the Governor travelled from Satgaon the other day, the entire stretch was managed perfectly. Parking was regulated, no public vehicle stopped anywhere, and even the signals were switched off to ensure a smooth passage," said a journalist who did not wish to be identified.

Many citizens question why similar discipline cannot be imposed during normal hours.

Studies on the city's traffic conditions underline that congestion is now widespread and no longer restricted to specific zones. The travel time index-comparing peak-hour travel with normal-flow conditions-exceeds 1 across all major zones, indicating consistently slower movement throughout the city.

Traffic personnel themselves acknowledge the gaps. According to feedback-based assessments, 68 percent of respondents among the force admitted that the number of personnel engaged in traffic management is insufficient to control the growing congestion.

The same study reported that 21 per cent of respondents identified trucks and trekkers as frequent violators of traffic norms, while another 21 per cent pointed to city buses as major offenders. Ironically, 68 per cent of the traffic police sample also felt that the traffic signals in Guwahati are not scientifically designed, contributing further to inefficient traffic management and erratic vehicle movements.

Another survey highlighted the economic burden of the daily gridlock. For an average Guwahati commuter, transport costs consume 10.13 per cent of monthly income. More than half of the respondents admitted that they avoid visiting crowded areas altogether because of the fear of getting trapped in prolonged traffic jams. These findings reinforce that congestion has become a significant urban issue affecting mobility, productivity, and the overall quality of life for a majority of residents in the capital city.

By

Staff Reporter