BENGALURU: Notorious traffic jams are almost synonymous with Namma Bengaluru. But there may be something to cheer. According to TomTom Traffic Index-2021, Bengaluru is the 10th most congested city in the world. The good news is that the city has fallen four places from last year’s 6th spot, and witnessed congestion reduced by 3 per cent.
The index also showed that the city recorded a 32 per cent average decrease in congestion since 2019. However, the ranking was done during pre-Covid period, which may have accounted for the sharp decrease in congestion in Bengaluru. The index studied detailed traffic trends in 404 cities across 58 countries.
Meanwhile, the number of vehicles owned has gone up, with the report attributing the increase to residents finding it an easy way to maintain social distancing. The worst day for traffic congestion in Bengaluru, according to the report, was during the monsoon, on October 9. With much of the city’s roads inundated and waterlogged, traffic was at a snail’s pace in the city on that day.
Compared to other Indian cities, Bengaluru performed well. Mumbai was ranked fifth, while Delhi and Pune lower than Bengaluru were still in the Top 25. However, they had recorded a little to no percentage decrease in traffic congestion.
“We believe that policy makers need to be cognisant of the positive change, and implement holistic norms aimed at bettering road infrastructure. This will further take down congestion levels, and promote alternative sustainable transport modes, which could improve emission levels too. Adoption of better technology that utilises real-time data, bold investments and fearless policy decisions are the key to the transformation,” said Sachin Tyagi, the strategic automotive business development manager for the company.