With the increasing number of vehicles in the city, congestion and pollution have become rising concerns in Ahmedabad. Amidst the festivities, traffic issues have plagued the city.

The traffic issues rise during the peak hours, i.e., 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

In the last five years, Ahmedabad has become home to ₹20 lakh vehicles. In 2022, a total of 2.97 cr vehicles were registered in Gujarat, an increase of 432%.

Congestion links mental health

Interestingly, in research titled ‘Effect of Traffic Congestion on Mental Health’, traffic congestion has been found to disturb mood, lead to frustration and anxiety, and lead to work absences.

Citizens living in cities with less traffic have lower risks of mental health problems compared to those living in big cities with excessive congestion.

Traffic problems even lead to fatal consequences; speaking of which, physician Dr Tapan Shah said, “We see a lot of cases where patients arrive late at the hospital due to traffic. The patients would inform us that they would arrive in half an hour, but the city traffic makes it harder to reach hospitals in time.”

He said, “In heart-related emergencies, the first three hours are crucial for patients. However, many times, if emergencies arise during peak hours, providing medical assistance becomes a challenging task.”

In cities like Ahmedabad, owning a new vehicle is becoming more common with increasing purchasing powers. In an ever-developing city like this, a traffic solution and smart planning are the need of the hour.

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