Features of traffic in old city: Commotion and chaos

Staff Reporter :

“Traffic is only one of the side effects of growth.” This quote by Ray Barnes, aptly describes the situation in Nagpur these days. As the city is aspiring to grow further, the situation on roads is worsening. In fact, increasing disregard for traffic rules among people is proving to be an inherent character of the city’s growth story. When it comes to the old part of the city, commotion and chaos reign supreme. You name any part of the old city or areas where the old city first expanded -- Golibar Chowk, Bhavsar Chowk, Ganjakhet, Marwadi Chowk, Itwari, Pachpaoli, Kamal Chowk etc -- and the first image that comes to one’s mind is that of traffic mess.

Chaos reigns supreme at Golibar Square. (Pic by Satish Raut)

If you are living in what is called the ‘new’ part of the city, think how many times you drove your four-wheeler to the old city for shopping, without having a harrowing experience while driving through the lanes and crossing the junctions. Even the people living in these old parts of the city, feel as if they are breathing a fresh air, when the come on to the wide roads in the new part. Though the old city areas have their own charm, it is fast getting deteriorated due to traffic chaos. At various traffic junctions, the story is the same -- most people crossing the junction without following the traffic discipline of completing a semi-circle along the roundabout.

Instead of the semi-circle, people often move in straight lines, even if it means going wrong side. Often, there are altercations. For, vehicles come in front of each other and the riders/drivers apply brakes before coming to a sudden, screeching halt just in time to avoid head-on collision. Golibar Chowk proves to be just one example of this phenomenon. The lack of traffic sense is on display at several other locations. For instance, in Bhavsar Chowk on Central Avenue, one witnesses ‘insanity in diversity’. Vehicles with variable speed -- auto-rickshaw, cycle-rickshaw, two-wheelers, four-wheelers, heavy vehicles -- use the junction to come from, and move to, different directions. Since everything has been left to their sense, the people often use it (their sense) as per their convenience.

One’s sense, however, does not necessarily match that of another’s. And, the problem arises when no one is in a mood to admit the mistake. Again, several minor altercations take place every day. Since most of the areas in old city are densely populated, the vehicle density is also high. Narrow roads just add to the difficulty level. Hence, people have developed the habit of making themselves ‘heard’ by others, by way of blowing horn. So, there is commotion every day. In this case, people follow the ‘herd’ mentality. If one rider/driver blows the horn, another rider/driver also follows, without even realising that the noise levels are going higher.

At spots like the one near Pachpaoli bridge, one wonders if one should blame the lack of traffic sense or design flaw. Whatever may be the answer to this question, the situation at Pachpaoli bridge is problematic. There are service roads on both sides of the bridge. The vehicles descending from the bridge take the U-turn to take the service road. At the same time, vehicles are coming from the service road to join the traffic descending from the bridge. Chaos reigns supreme.

As is the case at other junctions in the city, people brazenly exhibit their lack of traffic sense by way of jumping the signal in old city too. At Kamal Chowk, one can see people riding the two-wheelers as if the traffic signals do not exist for them. Since the regular road users in these areas have become accustomed to such erratic behaviour of vehicle-riders, they have become ‘trained’ in driving/riding safely. In many areas, the traffic signals do not actually exist. But, locals feel that it is good. For, they feel, if traffic signals are installed at smaller and crowded junctions, the chaos will worsen. For, then, traffic jams will become a regular feature. Still, that does not explain why people do not exhibit traffic sense.

It is because of the people flouting traffic norms, jumping traffic signals, moving wrong side, honking, and parking vehicles haphazardly, the saner individuals who follow traffic rules suffer a great inconvenience. The situation is worse in old city, but it is no good in new city. But, how long are Nagpurians going to just suffer? How long are they going to just pass it off as a ‘side-effect of growth’ with a sip of tea or coffee? How long are they going to just take pride in not being part of the bunch of violators? How long are they going to just stay neutral about triggering a change in the mindset of traffic rule violators? How long....?