ANJALI YADAV /Dehradun
Dehradun’s worsening traffic congestion is being driven as much by poor civic discipline and weak enforcement as by the rising number of vehicles on city roads. Wrong-side driving, illegal parking, lane-cutting, roadside encroachments and disregard for pedestrian spaces have increasingly turned daily commuting into a major challenge across the city. Residents say that traffic jams, delays and unsafe road conditions have become part of everyday life in Dehradun.
Dehradun superintendent of Police (Traffic) Lokjeet Singh said that several stretches in the city are witnessing heavy traffic pressure. These include Rispana to Vidhan Sabha trijunction, Transport Nagar, Clock Tower to Darshan Lal Chowk, ISBT to Kargi, Ballupur Chowk to Kishannagar and Premnagar.
Major bottlenecks have also been identified at Dilaram Chowk, MKP Chowk, Gandhi Road, railway station, Clock Tower, Doon Hospital Chowk, Jogiwala, Nanda Ki Chowki and Garhi Cantt Chowk.
According to traffic police data from January to May 2026, authorities issued 79,700 challans and seized 4,248 vehicles for various violations. Red-light jumping accounted for the highest number of challans at 14,547, followed by helmet violations and overspeeding cases. Traffic police also issued 4,379 challans for illegal parking and recorded 1,277 cases of wrong-side driving during the period. Around 1,863 people were booked for drunk driving.
Despite regular enforcement drives, officials admitted that manpower remains inadequate to manage the growing pressure on city roads. When asked whether the department has sufficient personnel for traffic management, the SP Traffic said that the staff strength is inadequate.
The municipal officials also acknowledged that repeated anti-encroachment drives have failed to provide lasting relief, as roadside encroachments often return within days. Parking continues to remain a major problem in old city areas where roads are narrow and vehicle numbers have increased sharply over the years. The officials further stated that many footpaths are either occupied by vendors, damaged or blocked by parked vehicles, forcing pedestrians onto busy roads.
Residents say that pedestrian safety has become a serious concern. Commuter Aanchal Thapliyal said that vehicles routinely stop directly on zebra crossings, leaving little space for people to cross safely. “We often have to squeeze between vehicles while crossing roads. There is always fear that the signal may suddenly turn green,” she said.
Another local, Diya Chauhan said that basic traffic discipline has deteriorated in recent years, with wrong-side driving and random parking becoming common across the city.
With rising urbanisation and shrinking road space, many residents believe Dehradun’s traffic crisis now reflects a larger problem of weak civic discipline and poor public accountability.
