Autobayng News Team
Urban planners point out that the city’s mixed results reflect a tightening equation between road width and vehicle load, one that becomes harder to balance as traffic grows.“>
The strain is most visible along the Commerce College–Airport Road stretch, where ambulances and vehicles parked outside private hospitals routinely narrow down moving lanes. What is designed as free flow breaks down when stationary traffic intrudes.
“Travel time hasn’t really come down,” said Sujeet Swami, a Kota-based advocate. “At peak hours, congestion becomes unbearable at Commerce College Circle, Kotdi, Antaghar, Chawani, Gumanpura and Keshavpura. Without signals or cops managing the rush, jams just stack up.”
Traffic police counter with enforcement data. Deputy SP (Traffic) Ashok Meena said the city adopted a ‘no-stop’ policy for violators, moving away from roadside confrontations that happened when drivers were stopped on the road.
Instead, officials moved to digital monitoring using night-vision laser speed guns, interceptor vehicles and static cameras linked to Abhay Command Centre. Till Nov 2025, over 8,000 speed violations and more than 1,000 cases of wrong-side driving were recorded digitally. A black-spot audit improved 57 of the 76 accident-prone locations.
“Accidents have dropped from 556 in 2023 to 358 by late 2025. Fatalities are down about 20%,” Meena said, adding the model could work in other cities under right conditions.
Police data shows that in 2023, Kota recorded 556 road mishaps, with 103 deaths and 604 injured; in 2024, mishaps fell to 458, with 104 deaths and 494 injured; and till Nov 30, 2025, mishaps stood at 358, with 83 deaths and 417 injured.
As of July 31, 2025, Kota had over 7 lakh registered vehicles — including around 5.2 lakh two-wheelers — policed by a traffic force of just over 100 personnel, supported by 30 home guards.
Urban planners point out that the city’s mixed results reflect a tightening equation between road width and vehicle load, one that becomes harder to balance as traffic grows.
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