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• "It is like freeways of the USA. I have been there and now traffic in Ahmedabad is becoming like that of USA. The only difference is the frequent jams and delays due to lack of traffic management here."This is how Ronak Shah, an NRI on a visit to the city, sums up the traffic situation in Vastrapur and Bodakdev areas.A few years back, no one had imagined four-wheelers going side by side and blocking city roads. According to Shah, the sight is really scary as such congestion is happening on internal roads, which is a rare sight in western countries."It takes more than half an hour to reach IIM crossroads from SG Highway. Vehicles are stacked up on roads causing heavy traffic jams," said Shah, indicating at the way the traffic is managed in the city.
• Similarly, regular commuters, who pass through roads of Vastrapur, SG Highway, Bodakdev, IIM, Mansi circle or Keshavbaug also complain about regular traffic jams during peak hours. "Earlier, I used to reach home in 15 minutes. Now, it takes more than 45 minutes to reach Vastrapur from SG Highway," said Shreyas Mehta, who stays near Vastrapur lake.Figures released by Regional Transport Office (RTO) of Ahmedabad suggest a boom in vehicle registration during January-November this year when more than 1.33 lakh vehicles were added. Of these vehicles, 43,000 are four-wheelers and 90,800 are two-wheelers.
• This takes the total number of vehicles registered in Ahmedabad district to 27 lakh, which include 4.77 lakh four-wheelers and 22 lakh two-wheelers. Of all vehicles, 80% are registered in the city.Commuters blame the traffic mess on two reasons: one, the ever-increasing number of vehicles; two, traffic management during night hours.They say a very few traffic policemen remain present during peak hours or their number is inadequate during night when people come out on roads to eat out or to have some quality time."We got stuck near Vatrapur lake on Sunday night, and there was no traffic cop in sight to mange the vehicles," said Verghese Christian, who was driving his car towards SG highway to watch a movie with family.
• Traffic police say that most of the staff leave their designated posts after 9 pm."Usually, the traffic cops join their duties at 9 am in the morning and leave at 9 pm. We can't do much about the ever-increasing vehicles resulting in traffic jams. The only way out could be widening of the roads," said Nilesh Jajadia, DCP-Traffic.

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