AHMEDABAD: The city's persistent traffic issues have frequently reached the Gujarat High Court over the years. Now, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has announced a comprehensive plan to address congestion, illegal parking, road safety, and emergency response. In an affidavit submitted to the High Court, the civic body detailed its initiatives for a citywide mobility overhaul. The report was filed after the court sought an update on the implementation of its earlier directives.
Background of the Affidavit
Municipal commissioner Banchha Nidhi Pani submitted the affidavit in response to a contempt petition by advocate Amit Panchal, alleging non-compliance with High Court directions issued in 2017 and 2018 regarding road maintenance, smooth traffic flow, and controlling cattle on public roads. During an April 27 hearing, the High Court summoned the civic chief and directed him to report on enforcing the Comprehensive Policy-2026. Pani assured the court that implementation is ongoing and detailed reports will continue to be submitted.
Five Pillars of Mobility
According to the commissioner, the policy rests on five pillars: engineering, enforcement, encouragement, education, and evaluation. It is implemented through coordinated efforts of the engineering, estate, town planning, and traffic engineering departments, along with anti-encroachment teams and the Ahmedabad traffic police.
Smart Traffic and Tech Upgrades
A flagship project is the Adaptive Traffic Control System (ATCS), which aims to connect 373 signalized junctions via a centralized traffic management platform. The system uses intelligent controllers, communication networks, vehicle detection technology, traffic simulation software, and central servers to optimize traffic flow. AMC informed the court that surveys have been completed at over 400 junctions. The affidavit also highlighted iconic road projects to improve commuter convenience, pedestrian safety, and urban aesthetics, including footpaths, cycle tracks, jogging tracks, street furniture, improved lighting, and ongoing flyovers, railway overbridges, foot overbridges, underpasses, and road-widening works to reduce congestion.
Data-Driven Management
On enforcement, AMC stated that joint enforcement teams (JETs) comprising officials from estate, solid waste management, and traffic police departments have been formed to tackle encroachments and traffic violations. The civic body also proposed a data-driven approach through a Road Management Insights (RMI) pilot project using Google Maps traffic analytics via the TraffiCure platform. AMC expects this initiative to improve transparency, accountability, and effectiveness of traffic interventions.
Enhancing Emergency Response
The report further stated that efforts are being made to ensure unobstructed movement of ambulances, fire tenders, police vehicles, and disaster-response teams through coordinated agency action. AMC claimed that engineering improvements, enforcement drives, and traffic management measures have already improved emergency response times.
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