Driving In India

India is the world's largest democratic republic. With the advancement of Transport Systems, countries are identified on the basis of their "Roads". India has difficult road and traffic conditions. In this part of the world, "Roads" are not meant to commute from here to there, but the road themselves run from here to there.

Conditions of roads across India are not hidden. In the last 50 years, India's automobile population has grown 170 times while the road infrastructure has expanded only nine times. The country's vehicle population is over 5.5 crore and growing at a phenomenal rate of 25 lakh every year. Roads make up 4% of Kolkatta city as compared to 25% in Delhi and 30% in some other cities. Outside the metros, the main roads and other roads are poorly maintained and congested.

The main roads are narrow and in poor conditions, most of them lacking overpasses for intersecting roads. They are used for sleeping, walking and somewhere down the lane serve as "Temporary Shops". Vendors often encroach upon streets and block sidewalks, restricting traffic. In the last 50 years, India's automobile population has grown 170 times while the road infrastructure has expanded only nine times. While roads are widened to allow the increase in vehicle population, side-walks for pedestrians have shrunk. The pedestrian's right of way at zebra-crossings is something of a dream, making "Jay Walking" a common phenomenon.

Traffic Rules In India :

The transport department of each and every city around the world has been entrusted with the responsibility of providing a smooth public transportation system on roads, controlling pollution under permissible limits, keeping a record of registration of vehicles, insurance of vehicles, issuing permits and collection of taxes. These departments function by devising policies, implementing them and then monitor and regulate the functioning of the transport in the city.

Traffic rules of the roads are both the laws and the informal rules that may have been developed over time to facilitate the orderly and timely flow of traffic. With the replacement of ancient horse driven carts with cars and trucks, the speed of the traffic increased paving way for the need of smooth roads and yet smoother traffic. So, to curb the need of the smoother traffic, some rules were devised to assure that the traffic runs smooth. Almost all of the roadways traffic rules are built with devices meant to control traffic.

The basic idea to devise rules is to make the traffic more organized. These establish a direct contact with the driver and help making the ride easy and controlled by delivering information which compliments the laws, guiding directions, speed limits and parking zones. All these efforts collectively assure that traffic is orderly and safe. An organized traffic has well established priorities, lanes flowing in particular directions. The benefit is that it reduces the travel time. Some rules and regulations have been formulated for an easy driving. The drivers are not allowed to drive without a few documents. These documents should be produced on demand.