Srinagar, Oct 14: An average road journey of just 7.4 kilometres in Srinagar takes an estimated 34 minutes, while traffic on some of the city’s busiest corridors has reached more than 90 per cent of road capacity, according to a research study published in an international transportation journal.
The study, published in Elsevier’s Transportation Research Procedia in 2026, estimates average travel speeds across the corridors examined at 16 to 22 kilometres per hour, pointing to substantial pressure on Srinagar’s road network.
Titled “Sustainable and Green Transportation Strategies for Enhanced Urban Liveability: Quantifying Emission Reductions and Accessibility Improvements”, the research has been authored by Muzzamil Yaseen Peer, Aaqib Ali, Basrah Bilal and Mehvish Bilal.
The researchers found that major corridors around Lal Chowk and MA Road recorded volume-to-capacity ratios exceeding 0.90, indicating that traffic volumes were approaching the maximum levels the roads could accommodate.
The volume-to-capacity ratio is a measure of traffic demand against the estimated carrying capacity of a road. A ratio above 0.90 indicates that traffic volumes are more than 90 per cent of capacity, leaving limited room for additional vehicles.
The study also identifies Jahangir Chowk and Batamaloo among locations experiencing pronounced congestion.
In contrast, Nowhatta and Airport Road were found to be operating close to or slightly below the critical congestion threshold of 0.85, indicating comparatively less pressure on those corridors.
The findings present a wider picture of traffic movement in Srinagar, where the researchers estimate the road network to extend approximately 1,100 kilometres.
Citing earlier research, the paper states that only 30 per cent of the city’s roads carry nearly 60 per cent of its total traffic.
The MA Road–Dalgate corridor alone handles an estimated 45,000 vehicles daily, reflecting the concentration of traffic along important commercial routes.
The study attributes the pressure on Srinagar’s transport system to increasing dependence on private vehicles, limited road capacity, mixed traffic movement and shortcomings in public transport.
According to the researchers, private vehicles account for approximately 62 per cent of daily trips in the city.
The study combines official transport records, secondary sources, traffic observations and transport-demand modelling to assess existing travel patterns and possible future improvements.
Under its Business-as-Usual scenario, average network speed is estimated at 18 kilometres per hour.
A separate Sustainable Green Transition scenario projects that average network speed could increase to 22 kilometres per hour through improved public transport, traffic management and pedestrian infrastructure.
The projected increase represents a possible outcome under the researchers’ model and is not an improvement already recorded on Srinagar’s roads.
The study calls for an integrated approach to transport planning, including better public transport, improved traffic management and coordination among agencies responsible for the city’s road infrastructure.
The research appears in Volume 96 of Transportation Research Procedia, pages 836–843.
Although published in 2026, the paper does not specify the exact dates of all field observations. Its findings therefore represent research-based estimates rather than real-time traffic measurements for October. (KNS)
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