Jaipur: Traffic wing of the Jaipur police has diverted buses headed for Agra and Delhi roads from Govind Marg to Shanti Path through Rambagh Circle, a junction already prone to VVIP traffic restrictions. The move, meant to ease pressure on Govind Marg, has triggered concern among commuters and residents who are facing severe congestion at one of the city’s busiest intersections.A traffic official said the change was introduced after an assessment by the traffic wing and applies only to interstate buses leaving the city. Buses and vehicles entering Jaipur from Agra and Delhi roads will continue to use Govind Marg.“The width of Govind Marg is not enough to handle movements of big vehicles on both sides simultaneously. It has been decided to make Govind Marg ‘one-way’ for big buses. As an alternative, we have decided to divert the buses moving out of the city via Rambagh Circle, Shanti Path and the Jhalana Bypass. This is the best possible route considering the width of Shanti Path and Jhalana Bypass,” the traffic official stated.Commuters contest the logic. Rambagh Circle is often held for extended periods during VVIP movements, and tailbacks continue for hours even after convoys pass. Motorists said adding buses to this route will worsen queues at signals, slip lanes and adjoining roads.“Often you get stuck at Rambagh signals for well over 20-30 minutes for VVIP movements. As vehicles heading towards Lal Kothi from Narayan Singh Circle almost block the slip lanes for left-bound traffic, these buses add to the queue. As a ripple effect, the tail of the traffic continues beyond the Takt-e-Shahi Marg Tiraha,” said Manoj Surana, a regular commuter on this stretch.On average, around 1,200 pairs of buses travel towards destinations on Agra and Delhi roads daily, making the diversion significant for peak-hour flow.Residents living near Shanti Path said the problem is not limited to traffic. “Often these buses occupy the road and stand to pick up passengers on Shanti Path, creating huge chaos,” said Lal Singh Khurana, a resident.Motorists questioned why the traffic wing was averse to allowing these buses via MI Road. “Why can’t the interstate buses go through MI Road, which is not only wide enough but also has one-way traffic leading straight to Transport Nagar where the RSRTC bus stand is located? JCTSL buses are already plying on this road,” said Sweta Mehta, a daily commuter.
