Bhopal News: Roads Shrink As Vehicles Surge, Resulting Frequent Traffic Congestion

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The state capital seems to be heading towards a severe traffic crisis as the number of vehicles continues to rise sharply while road space remains limited. In many areas, it is shrinking due to encroachments and constructions of flyovers.

Over the past three years alone, nearly four lakh vehicles have been added to the city roads increasing pressure on an already strained traffic movement. According to available data, the number of cars in Bhopal is estimated to be around five lakh while two-wheelers are around 14 lakh in number.

Overall, over 20 lakh vehicles including cars, two-wheelers, trucks, buses, dumpers, loading vehicles, e-rickshaw and other commercial vehicles are currently playing on city roads. Apart from registered vehicles, a large number of vehicles with expired registrations are still moving on the roads.

Despite becoming legally off-road after expiry of registration these vehicles continue to add to traffic congestion while further complicating the situation. Many of such vehicles have recently been seized by traffic police and municipal corporation.

The pressure of increase in vehicles especially cars can be witnessed at New Market, MP Nagar and other commercial areas where parked cars consume nearly half of the roads. Moreover, situation in Old City areas have worsened where frequent traffic congestion and parking of vehicles are resulting in clashes among locals.

On an average, city was witnessing an annual increase of 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh vehicles. Moreover, people are even using vehicles with expired registrations, additional DCP, traffic, Basant Kaul said.

The infrastructure development while easing traffic has also resulted in decrease of road spaces at several spots. While several flyovers have been constructed in recent years, their pillars and supporting structures have reduced available road width at many locations. This has led to traffic bottlenecks especially during peak hours.

Subhash Nagar underpass frequently witnesses heavy congestion during rush hours due to high vehicular movement combined with the presence of a flyover. Similar conditions prevail in Koh-e-Fiza area and Karond where flyover construction has narrowed the road space intensifying the traffic pressure.

The upcoming Metro project is also expected to impact road space during and after construction. Meanwhile, traffic volume continues to rise in the city, but temporary and permanent encroachments remain largely unchecked. These encroachments have significantly reduced carriageway width particularly on narrow routes with heavy traffic flow.

The number of vehicles till March 2025, believed to have increased following GST removal on many four-wheeler models

Two wheelers: 1385009

Cars: 394365

Omni Bus: 19918

E-rickshaw: 11839

Bus: 4830

School and college bus: 3298

Loading vehicles: 45479

Three wheelers: 41181

Ambulance: 2580

Year-wise increase in vehicles

2022: 1610784

2023: 1716291 (increase- 105507)

2024: 1834644 (increase- 118353)

2025: 1959654 (increase-125010)