Guwahati: If you thought ‘Traffic management’ existed in the lexicon of traffic police in Guwahati, then you were highly mistaken.
Ask any resident of this ‘smart city’ irrespective of whether they own vehicles or commute on foot, and 100 per cent of them will reply in the affirmative with the above-mentioned notion.
Circa August 23, 2025, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma had dedicated to Guwahati the phase-I of the Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS) under the City Police Commissionerate.
Aimed at ensuring proper traffic management and control, the ITMS is a state-of-the-art, citizen-friendly, integrated and responsive traffic surveillance and control mechanism, which is equipped with cameras at major junctions of the city.
ITMS also intends to help in checking traffic violations thus culminating into seamless traffic movement in the city.
ITMS, in the first phase, covers 20 junctions between Khanapara rotary and Nepali Mandir.
A look at the functioning or non-functioning at the Six-Mile junction is good enough to rate the efficacy of such an ambitious project.
A retired bureaucrat, resident of Panjabari pointed out that the chaos at the Six-Mile junction between 6 am and 10 pm is so intense that it can cause a research project in traffic mismanagement even leading to a PhD thesis.
This newspaper had, only a few days ago, reported that “about 534 police personnel and 200 Home Guards personnel are engaged in this ever-expanding unplanned city, which has around five lakh vehicles of all sizes and shapes.”
Though no detailed data about road accidents in the city is available for 2025, speeding dumpers, drunk drivers and the large number of battery rickshaws occupy the top three slots causing accidents fatal or injury-prone.
“The new traffic signal system introduced about three years ago had brought some order to many of the major junctions. But, while traffic signals only control the major junctions, the remainder of the large network of roads in the city is a free-for-all,” said a resident of Geetanagar
And he added, “While most vehicles cannot move at a speed of more than, say, 20 kmph, one cannot find a policeman if a cycle-rider or pedestrian is knocked down by a speeding bike overtaking from the wrong side at any stretch of Guwahati’s roads.”
While the ITMS has been promoted as a modern state-of-the-art system, it is difficult to comprehend why the left lane in most traffic junctions is not kept free for smooth flow of traffic. Also one finds it tough to fathom as to why rickshaws, auto-rickshaws, battery rickshaws and maxi-cabs are allowed to park wherever they wish, and why a policeman cannot be deployed to flush out the jam these vehicles cause at any given point of time.
Given these woes that Guwahati residents have been encountering, all attempts of this newspaper to reach out to DCP (Deputy Police Commissioner-Traffic) Jayanta Sarathi Borah came a cropper.
Is he trying to shirk blame?
Here are the queries we wanted to pose before traffic police:
Traffic Management and Infrastructure
1. Smooth Traffic Flow in Guwahati: What ails the smooth traffic flow in Guwahati, and what measures are being taken to address these issues?
2. Inadequate Manning: What are the reasons behind inadequate manning of traffic points that are well known for regular traffic congestion? Are there plans to increase personnel deployment in these areas?
3. Traffic Light Hiccups: Who is responsible for the frequent hiccups in the traffic light system in Guwahati, and what steps are being taken to rectify these issues?
4. Scientific Traffic Management Plan: Does the department have a scientific traffic management plan in place for smooth flow of vehicular traffic in Guwahati? If so, what are its key components?
5. Infrastructure Upgrades: Are there plans to upgrade traffic infrastructure, such as installing smart traffic signals and CCTV cameras and improving road designs?
Community Engagement
and Awareness
1. Community Involvement: Does your department have any plan to involve local people in devising solutions to traffic woes area-wise? If so, how do you plan to engage with the community?
2. Awareness Campaigns: Are there any ongoing or planned awareness campaigns to educate the public about traffic rules safety, and etiquette?
3. Feedback Mechanism: Is there a system in place for citizens to provide feedback or report traffic-related issues? How are these concerns addressed?
Enforcement and Safety
1. Enforcement Strategies: What strategies are being employed to enforce traffic rules and regulations, especially in areas prone to congestion or accidents?
2. Safety Initiatives: What initiatives are being taken to improve road safety, particularly for vulnerable groups like pedestrians, cyclists, and school children?
3. Accident Response: What is the protocol for responding to accidents or emergencies and how are these incidents managed?
Technology and Data-Driven Approaches
1. Traffic Monitoring: Are there plans to implement advanced traffic monitoring systems to track traffic patterns and optimize flow?
2. Data Analysis: How does the department utilize data analytics to inform traffic management decisions and improve overall efficiency?
The questions once answered will help in building a comprehensive discussion with traffic police officials, covering a variant of aspects in traffic management, community engagement, enforcement, and safety in Guwahati.
Our readers too can send these questions to concerned officials.
Also read: Is Guwahati really a ‘Smart City’? Residents worried over crimes