Ahmedabad: Every evening, as office-goers head home and vehicles pour onto the Sarkhej-Gandhinagar (SG) Highway, one of Ahmedabad’s busiest arterial roads transforms into a sprawling traffic bottleneck. The familiar soundtrack of blaring horns, idling engines and slow-moving traffic has become so routine that many commuters have come to accept it as part of daily life. However, a recent study suggests the cost of this congestion extends far beyond lost time.A research paper published in the International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology in May 2025 painted a stark picture of the environmental and human impact of traffic congestion along the SG Highway. The study examined three major junctions between Somnath Chowk and Thaltej crossroads, analysing traffic volumes, accident patterns, air quality, noise pollution and commuter experiences.According to the study, the evening rush hours between 6pm and 8pm are the most critical period on the corridor, accounting for 39% of the total daily traffic movement. Thaltej emerged as the worst congestion hotspot, recording 25,393 vehicles during the evening peak period alone, while Somnath Circle registered 19,721 vehicles.The study also found a sharp contrast between weekday and weekend traffic patterns. Average weekday traffic volumes stood at 21,461 vehicles, nearly double the weekend count, underscoring the strain created by daily office commutes and commercial activity.Conducted by Krisha Kalathiya, Rahi Chaudhari, Bhumi Makwana, Manthan Patel, Rahulkumar Meena and Parth Rathod from the Department of Commerce (Statistics) at HL College of Commerce, the research linked rising traffic density directly to worsening environmental conditions.Noise pollution emerged as a major concern. The average sound level across the surveyed stretches reached 76.9 decibels (dB), significantly exceeding the Central Pollution Control Board’s prescribed limit of 70dB for commercial areas. The stretch between Somnath Chowk and Ghatlodia recorded the highest noise level at 81.5dB, a level considered potentially harmful with prolonged exposure.Air quality readings were equally troubling. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) across the corridor was 113.4, placing it firmly in the ‘poor’ category. The Thaltej stretch registered the highest AQI at 118.5, making it the most polluted segment among those surveyed.Beyond environmental impacts, the study highlighted the toll congestion was taking on commuters. An on-ground survey of 366 regular SG Highway users revealed that nearly 77% experience traffic congestion every day. While delays and longer travel times were common complaints, the findings also pointed to growing mental strain among road users.As many as 79 respondents specifically reported psychological stress and fatigue caused by their daily commute, suggesting that traffic congestion was increasingly becoming a public health concern rather than merely a transportation issue.
