Roads Jammed, Rules Flouted: New DCP Faces Traffic Crisis Nagpur: As the city’s new DCP (Traffic) Aditya Mirkhelkar takes charge, he inherits a traffic system under increasing strain from rising vehicular numbers, infrastructure-related disruptions, illegal parking, and poor road discipline. With traffic congestion becoming a daily reality across several major corridors and market areas, experts believe the city will require a multi-pronged approach to tackle its growing mobility challenges. The pressure on Nagpur’s road network has intensified in recent years due to a sharp rise in vehicle registrations. According to official data, the combined vehicle population registered under the Urban, East and Rural Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) has crossed 33 lakh. Among the most congested stretches is Wardha Road, one of Nagpur’s busiest arterial corridors. During peak morning hours, long queues of vehicles are routinely seen near Airport Square, often extending over the double-decker flyover. Similar congestion is witnessed at Ajni Square during evening rush hours, while Kriplani Square, Rahate Colony, and Lokmat Square regularly experience long traffic snarls. Several locations, including Sitabulji Square, Sadar, RBI Square, LIC Square, Railway Station Road, Cotton Market, and Rani Jhansi Square, continue to face traffic congestion throughout the day. Illegal parking, roadside encroachments, and the unregulated movement of autorickshaws and e-rickshaws are among the major factors contributing to the problem. Traffic chaos is also a regular feature in older and densely populated localities such as Mahal, Itwari, Jaripatka, and Pachpaoli, where narrow roads, commercial activity, and roadside parking significantly affect vehicular movement.#nagpur #wardha_road #ajni_square #kriplani_square #aditya_mirkhelkar
Easing Traffic At Chronic Bottlenecks, Road Discipline On New DCP’s Agenda Nagpur’s newly appointed deputy commissioner of police (Traffic), Aditya Mirkhelkar, has outlined his priorities for addressing the city’s traffic challenges, which include easing congestion at critical junctions, improving road discipline, and enhancing coordination among agencies involved in infrastructure projects. Mirkhelkar, an engineer-turned-IPS officer from the 2019 Maharashtra cadre, assumed his role following the transfer of former DCP (Traffic) Lohit Matani, who was posted as Superintendent of Police, Highway Traffic, Nagpur. His appointment comes amid rising vehicular numbers, ongoing road construction, and persistent traffic jams at key locations. Mirkhelkar emphasized that his immediate focus would be on alleviating congestion in commercial and transit areas, particularly in locations such as Mahal, Itwari, and Baidyanath Square, which have long been plagued by traffic bottlenecks. He acknowledged that these areas have become routine sources of inconvenience and pledged to implement innovative solutions to improve traffic flow. “We will have to come up with out-of-the-box solutions to improve traffic flow and reduce inconvenience to citizens,” he stated. In addition to addressing congestion, Mirkhelkar highlighted the importance of maintaining the recent decline in road accidents and fatalities. He noted that efforts would be directed toward further reducing accidents while promoting stricter compliance with traffic rules among drivers. The DCP also stressed the need for better coordination among agencies managing infrastructure and utility projects, as overlapping permissions for road closures and diversions often exacerbate congestion.#nagpur #aditya_mirkhelkar #dcp_traffic #lohit_matani #mahal_itwari_baidyanath_square
