Jaipur: JDA’s plan to make JLN Marg signal-free with an elevated road, underpass, U-turns and a cloverleaf has drawn criticism from urban planners and traffic experts, who say Jaipur needs better traffic management and public transport rather than more expensive construction projects.The proposed Rs 500-600 crore project has raised questions, as similar interventions on Tonk Road and Mahal Road have failed to eliminate traffic bottlenecks.Former Jaipur town planner HS Sancheti said the congestion problem could have been tackled through better traffic management instead of large infrastructure projects.“It should have been resolved through traffic management rather than announcing big-budget constructions like these,” he said.Sancheti also questioned whether new road arrangements were being planned with commuters’ actual behaviour in mind. Citing the U-turns recently introduced on Mahal Road, he said people were still finding ways around the system.“On Mahal Road, I have seen people physically taking out the barricading and entering the opposite-side roads even though the U-turns are in place,” he said.Former JDA engineer NC Mathur said the approach went against the basic principle of the National Urban Transport Policy, which prioritises the movement of people over vehicles. He said roads should prioritise pedestrians, followed by cyclists and other non-motorised transport users, buses and private vehicles.“The basic aim of the National Urban Transport Policy is mobility of people, not vehicles,” he said, stressing the need to balance the requirements of different road users.Mathur also questioned the need for extensive construction on JLN Marg, pointing out that the road is already wide and traffic generally moves at a good speed.“People drive in fifth gear at speeds above 60 kmph most of the time, so it does not require this kind of construction,” he said.He questioned JDA’s decision-making process, saying urban planners should be involved alongside engineers when such projects are considered. Construction, he said, should not be the first response to traffic problems.Both experts called for greater focus on basic measures such as repairing roads, removing encroachments, managing traffic flows and improving public transport routes.The proposal has also drawn criticism on social media, with users questioning whether it would ease congestion or create new bottlenecks. “I don’t know who is thinking of such ideas,” one comment read, while another said, “They have ruined a perfectly good road; now there will be even more traffic.”Under the proposal, JDA plans an elevated road between SMS Medical College and Rajasthan University, an underpass at Gandhi Circle, a cloverleaf at Bajaj Nagar Tiraha and multiple U-turns. The project is expected to be implemented in phases after approval, at an estimated cost of Rs 500-600 crore.
