Tejasvi Singh, Jaipur. Traffic Jam on city roads is becoming a serious concern. Especially during the afternoon, when schools get over, traffic on many major routes gets heavily affected. According to experts, this problem is not only due to increasing vehicles, but is also linked to unorganized parking and shortcomings in urban planning.
Traffic Jam: School time has become peak traffic hour
In Jaipur, the time between 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM has now become the main peak traffic hour. During this period, traffic speed near major schools in the city drops by 30 to 40 percent.
Tonk Road: Turned into an Educational Corridor
The 15–18 km long Tonk Road, stretching from Pratap Nagar to Ajmeri Gate, is considered Jaipur’s major educational corridor. There are more than 50 schools and colleges located along this route, with 75,000 to 100,000 students commuting daily.
During school hours, traffic pressure across this entire stretch increases significantly.
Vehicles are Increasing Rapidly
In the past few years, the number of vehicles in Jaipur has increased rapidly:
- Around 400 new vehicles are added daily
- There are 551 vehicles per 1000 people
- The vehicle growth rate in the city remains consistently high
In contrast, road expansion has not kept pace.
Low Usage of Public Transport
The use of public transport in Jaipur is quite low:
- Only about 13% of people use public transport
- Dominance of private vehicles:
- 67% two-wheelers
- 16% cars
As a result, the burden on roads continues to increase.
Situation Reflected in Global Report
According to the TomTom Traffic Index 2025:
- Average traffic congestion level: 58.7%
- Peak congestion: up to 94.9%
- Average speed during rush hour: 16–18 km/h
- Time to travel 10 km: 29–36 minutes
- Annual time lost per person: 121 hours
These figures indicate that Jaipur traffic has now reached the level of major metropolitan cities.
Maximum Problem Outside Schools
According to experts, the biggest reason for traffic jams is unorganized parking outside schools.
Most parents park their vehicles on the roadside to pick up children, reducing road capacity by half and leading to congestion.
Administrative Challenges
Traffic police also face several challenges:
- School zones are considered sensitive
- Fear of public reaction on strict action
- Lack of adequate staff at many locations
Shortcomings in Urban Planning
According to Jaipur Development Authority (JDA), older city planning did not include adequate parking provisions for schools.
Currently, many large schools are located on main roads where parking space is not available.
Traffic Jam: What is the Solution?
Experts believe the following steps are necessary:
- School-wise traffic planning
- Mandatory parking space
- Implementation of staggered pick-up time slots
- Strict action against roadside parking
- Smart traffic monitoring system
Conclusion
Traffic jam in Jaipur is not just a result of increasing vehicles, but a combined effect of parents’ behavior, administrative limitations, and gaps in urban planning.
If timely action is not taken, the situation may become more serious in the future.
