Lucknow: In a major push to ease urban traffic congestion, Uttar Pradesh govt has launched the City-Reducing Traffic Congestion (C-RTC) scheme as a pilot project across 20 districts, aiming to ensure smoother, faster and more efficient movement of vehicles in cities.The initiative has been rolled out under the leadership of CM Yogi Adityanath, with a focus on providing citizens with seamless, uninterrupted and well-managed traffic systems. The scheme is being implemented by the state Traffic Directorate in line with govt’s priority to improve urban mobility and reduce travel delays.DGP Rajeev Krishna said rapid urbanisation, rising population and a sharp increase in the number of vehicles have significantly burdened city roads, leading to frequent traffic jams. Apart from delays, congestion has resulted in higher fuel consumption, increased air pollution and health concerns, while also hampering emergency services such as ambulances and fire tenders.“In the first phase, the scheme is being implemented across all seven commissionerates and selected districts from various police ranges, covering a total of 20 urban units. As part of the exercise, 172 major congestion-prone routes have been identified across cities including Agra, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Ghaziabad and Meerut,” he said.Krishna said the objective of the C-RTC scheme is to reduce travel time during peak hours by ensuring smooth traffic flow on identified routes. Officials said scientific studies have shown significant variation in travel time across different time slots, particularly during peak hours, necessitating targeted interventions.To address this, the scheme introduces a ‘route marshal’ system, wherein each identified route will be assigned a dedicated officer responsible for traffic management and congestion control.These route marshals — selected from among the most experienced traffic inspectors and sub-inspectors — will oversee implementation on the ground. They will work in coordination with local police station heads, who will share responsibility for ensuring smooth traffic flow, the DGP added.The strategy focuses on route-specific interventions and is guided by the “one route, one marshal” principle. In total, 172 route marshals will be deployed across the identified routes, supported by additional traffic personnel as required.Authorities said the scheme will be driven by a technology-based approach, using advanced AI systems to analyse minimum, maximum and average travel times on each route. The system will provide real-time mapping of congestion points and generate graphical and tabular data, enabling officers to take prompt and informed decisions. The platform can be accessed via smartphones without requiring specialised technical knowledge.Govt has set a target of reducing maximum travel time by at least 20% during peak hours in the initial phase. To achieve this, the plan incorporates a comprehensive “5E” strategy — Education and awareness, Enforcement, Engineering and technological interventions, Encroachment removal, and regulation of e-rickshaw operations.
