Indore's Rajwada Suffocates Ahead Of Diwali: 1.5 Lakh People An Hour, Traffic Jams And Parking Crisis

Indore, Madhya Pradesh, is grappling with a suffocating traffic situation as shoppers prepare for Diwali. Leading up to the festival, one can anticipate a two to three hour delay when heading to Rajwada, turning it into a siege-like scenario. The journey from Narsingh Bazaar to Rajwada takes an agonizing 30 minutes, with horn honking and chaos reigning. The Cloth Market lane alone is a nightmare, causing many to abandon their engines in frustration.

Shopkeepers have encroached upon footpaths, leaving barely any room for vehicles, while tiny stalls have sprung up even 5 to 7 feet away. Cyclists and pedestrians are crammed in, while the elderly and children stand frozen, unable to move forward or retreat. Bikes are banned in broad daylight due to the immense crowd, leaving bikers helpless and without parking options.

Amidst the chaos, 100 extra policemen were deployed for the festival, but their efforts were futile. The extra law enforcement blew whistles and nudged bikes forward, but that was the extent of their effectiveness. Rules were disregarded openly, even at crossings, and parking spaces remained largely unused while drivers continued to circle, burning fuel and patience.

The biggest issue, according to Additional DCP Traffic Santosh Kol, is limited parking. With over 1.5 lakh vehicles and people traversing the area every hour, traffic will remain sluggish without sufficient parking options. Half an hour lost on the route from Palasia to Rajwada is a stark reality for many. The journey is particularly excruciating in Ranipura, where just a 500-meter stretch via Riverside to Sanjay Setu takes nearly half an hour.

In the search for relief, the 7 parkings within an 8-km radius were inspected, and it was revealed that 7 out of 7 were full, with vehicles in each parking reaching their capacity. Subhash Chowk had 700 bikes and 140 cars, Khajuri Bazaar smart parking held 500 bikes, and Sanjay Setu open parking had only 50 bikes and 30 cars. The situation remains dire, leaving shoppers to endure an ordeal that is not just a punishment but akin to worshipping trees during Diwali as an act of gratitude to nature.