Rajesh, an everyday office-goer, finds himself stuck in his sleek sedan on a weekday morning, realizing that even though he left home on time, he hasn’t moved an inch in 20 minutes due to the traffic. Work calls constantly buzz on his phone, amplifying his anxiety amid the cacophony of honking cars. Frustration builds as he honks his horn, but the road ahead is still gridlocked, leaving him trapped in the chaos that characterizes the daily commute for many in Guwahati.
This scenario is a familiar one for countless commuters in the city, who now consider the relentless traffic congestion an unwelcome but routine aspect of life. The growing burden of traffic jams is akin to daily hygiene habits, an inescapable reality for residents.
Data reveals the dire state of Guwahati’s traffic crisis, which impacts nearly every inhabitant, irrespective of their mode of transport. Recent statistics show a steady increase in average commute times, complicating daily travel for residents. A journey from Ulubari to GS Road, roughly 5 kilometers, should ideally take 10 to 15 minutes without traffic but often spans nearly 45 minutes by car or motorcycle. The 3-kilometer route from Dighalpukhuri to Chandmari, meant to take just 5 to 7 minutes, frequently takes half an hour-if luck is on your side. Ongoing construction of flyovers has compounded these delays.
The Ganeshguri to Khanapara route, a distance of 5.5 kilometers, is another example; it should take about 15 minutes but often takes 40, particularly near Rukminigaon, where construction has created a bottleneck.
Frustration is palpable among residents who once relished their drives but now lament the ordeal of commuting. Pallabi Kalita, a university lecturer, shared with The Assam Tribune that driving on GS Road is exhausting, costing her about Rs 10,000 monthly in fuel due to traffic-induced delays. Even two-wheeler riders, typically faster on the roads, report that a short 4 to 5-kilometer trip can take up to 30 minutes during peak times.
The average traffic speed in Guwahati hovers around 20 km/h, and trip lengths have risen to 6.3 kilometers from 4.1 kilometers in 2016. This means that an 8 to 11-kilometer journey can take over an hour, while major routes like GS Road may require two hours to traverse during peak traffic.
But is the congestion solely attributed to rush hours around offices and schools? A senior traffic official from Basistha emphasizes that the issue runs deeper. He points to the dramatic rise in the number of vehicles, coupled with poor traffic sense among motorists and haphazard urban planning, stating that these factors have exacerbated the situation. This begs the question: why not opt for public transportation?
For many, public transport has become anything but a time-saving option. Kasturi Baishya, who travels from Zoo Road, spends over three hours each day to cover just 8.5 kilometers to work, often forced to navigate congested GS Road. Though public transport is affordable, overcrowding and sluggish services mean that even short distances can take more than an hour.
The Assam State Transport Corporation operates around 256 electric and 100 CNG buses, each making 4 to 5 trips daily, carrying approximately 100,000 passengers on workdays. However, frequent stops and traffic snarls can double the time spent traveling. Pritima Chhetri, a Maligaon resident, notes that bus delays are common due to extended stops for extra passengers, causing her to arrive late for work.
Manas Adhikari, another commuter, recalls spending nearly 50 minutes just to navigate a single kilometer in Rukminigaon, calling the delays unacceptable. App-based taxi services like Uber and Ola are popular among corporate employees and tourists, yet cab drivers also face the challenges of the congested roadways, often unable to keep to their schedules.
Delivery personnel are also affected, citing significant delays in meeting delivery deadlines due to city-wide traffic jams. With a fragmented public transport system, rising vehicle ownership, and infrastructure lagging behind, Guwahatians-regardless of how they commute-are united by shared frustrations over daily traffic struggles.
On average, each resident spends 1.5 to 2 hours in traffic daily. This begs the pressing question: how much longer can Guwahati endure this slow crawl?
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/guwahati/trapped-in-traffic-how-many-hours-are-guwahatians-losing-daily-1578360
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Publish Date: 2025-05-22 18:28:00
