Traffic jams have become such a common nuisance that they fail to make any news now. But worsening the case and increasing their frequency are tents erected for marriage parties, religious functions and bhandaraas take often usurp a fair share of the road and block it. And now that the wedding weason is in full swing, it’s majorly adding to Delhiites’ traffic woes.
The traffic congestion on a main road has a ripple effect on the arterial roads leading to bumper to bumper traffic especially during the wedding season. Rashi Dhanashri, a spectator and sufferer says, “Delhi celebrates and how. Weddings, birthdays, religious functions, you name it and they celebrate it. First, they will put up huge shamianas for parties and then drunk guests block the roads as they jostle for parking space. The PCR van only adds to the chaos leading to hours long jams. Traffic cops really need to pull up their socks.”
“Traffic congestion in the city has become intolerable. On busy stretches vehicles are parked haphazardly. In some areas, stray dogs and cattle move through arterial roads turning the already bad situation worse. The menace of unauthorised encroachment and roadside vendors is also alarming. I almost missed my flight when I got stuck,” says Nikumbh Bhiyani, a banker, who on every fifth day is late for his bank in busy Connaught Place.
The reasons why traffic jams occur are way too many. It normally starts from the basic problem of poor condition of the roads. “Ring road suffers the most all through the day. Sometimes, I fail to understand why was the traffic moving slowly when I fail to spot any stationary vehicle due to a flat tyre or an accident that could have blocked the way. The quality of the roads and poor management of signals is to be blamed then,” worries Dr Vaibhav Mishra, who drives around 60 km everyday to and from his hospital.