A series of web site visitors administration initiatives introduced in Lucknow all the map in which thru the final few years ended up in a ‘hit and pass over’ zone as most of them old fashioned away within months of their originate, exposing systemic gaps in planning, execution and accountability.
These measures ranged from technology-pushed interventions to strict enforcement drives, every promising to ease congestion in the without warning expanding city.
In what would be seen as a repetitive cycle, a unusual officer assumes price, introduces a new space of reforms, and within months, these measures either lose steam or are quietly abandoned as one other space of suggestions takes their living. Without a centralised monitoring mechanism or prolonged-time duration roadmap, the city’s web site visitors administration has largely remained reactive in living of sustainable.
Indubitably among the most visible examples became as soon as the installation of tyre killers shut to Gomti Barrage and Awadh Crossing in April 2024, geared in opposition to curbing injurious-aspect using. Whereas the transfer at the start drew attention, commuters fast realized strategies to avoid the devices by manually pressing them down. Within weeks, the equipment suffered hurt because of put on and climate exposure, rendering the machine ineffective.
One other ambitious initiative, the colour-coded QR machine for e-rickshaws, introduced on January 1, 2024, sought to control their circulation by assigning mounted routes thru colour identification. Nonetheless, protests by e-rickshaw drivers, coupled with lack of enforcement, led to the knowing being scrapped. That is in spite of an present ban on e-rickshaws on 11 major routes since Could additionally neutral 2022, which continues to be violated overtly even in 2026.
Efforts to decongest busy intersections thru crimson and yellow demarcation strains, restricting passenger pick-up and drop within 100 metres of crossings, also did no longer preserve. Though implemented across key junctions, the markings gradually disappeared by the tip of 2024, with no visible enforcement or repairs.
Within the same kind, a crackdown on illegal parking that known forty five no-parking zones across the city in 2024 at the start noticed stuffed with life towing and clamping drives. Nonetheless, the initiative became as soon as discontinued within 10 months after crane operators employed for towing refused to continue because of repeated confrontations with aggressive vehicle owners.
Even measures geared in opposition to regulating web site visitors launch air colleges, introduced following directions from the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad excessive court docket since 2015, beget had restricted impact. Colleges had been requested to deploy workers and prepare web site visitors administration plans all the map in which thru dispersal hours, but congestion launch air campuses continues to motive bottlenecks day to day. Even supposing Babloo Kumar, joint commissioner of police (regulation and characterize), held meetings with colleges and police professional their marshals, the scenario is no longer making improvements to on the ground.
OFFICIALSPEAK
“Managing web site visitors in a increasing city cherish Lucknow is an exact area. Whereas some measures fell short, we are now focusing on extra scientific planning, better coordination and sustained enforcement to safe optimistic prolonged-time duration results,” mentioned Babloo Kumar, joint commissioner of police (Law and Portray), Lucknow.
EXPERT VIEW
City mobility consultants and stakeholders point out that slightly about a these initiatives lacked scientific backing and pilot testing.
“Aspect road security, self-discipline, and congestion-free circulation are no longer accidental outcomes—they’re the express results of a scientific web site visitors administration machine. It begins with roads which will be properly web site visitors-engineered, as seen in cities cherish Chandigarh, the put safe itself guides and regulates avenue user behaviour,” mentioned Rohit Baluja, president, Institute of Aspect road Traffic Training.
“Traffic engineering is a science, grounded in the desires of avenue customers and implemented thru avenue web site visitors regulations and established codes of observe. Sadly, this scientific come is largely lacking in Lucknow. Equally referring to is the fragmented accountability amongst companies such as the police, roadway authorities and the transport department, which leads to depressed coordination and long-established accountability. With out clearly defined accountability and a unified come, efficient web site visitors administration can no longer be executed,” Baluja added.
“Traffic alternate recommendations can no longer be one-size-suits-all or non everlasting experiments. Officers come without any context of city and homework and put into effect as per their wish without even consulting us who’re engaged on ground. After they’re transferred, that transfer fades away. The transfer of police verification of vehicle-rickshaw and e-rickshaw drivers became as soon as also introduced 10 years support and yet again in 2025. There must be a committee, which would beget contributors from across the self-discipline,” mentioned Pankaj Dixit, president of LARTS (Lucknow Autorickshaw Three Wheeler Affiliation)
