Navigating the Future: India’s Ring Road Developments

Perceived to ease traffic congestion, enhance connectivity, and foster economic corridors, ring road developments have been gaining prominence for smaller Indian cities. The impact of Chennai’s Outer Ring Road has led to the ongoing development of newer satellite townships such as Chengalpattu and Thirumazhisai.

In 2018, the Karnataka government announced its ambitious plans of constructing ring roads for all its district headquarters. Four years later, agreements with the Union Government set in motion the ring road projects for Raichur, Koppala, Belagavi, Kalburgi, and Gadag, along with GST exemptions on road building materials. However, it remains unclear whether Passenger Car Unit (PCU) studies had been conducted to determine the actual need of ring roads for these cities.

Ashish Verma, an associate professor from IISc, presented a technical paper analyzing Bengaluru and stated that road corridor and widening projects remain ineffective in reducing congestion in the longer run. Farmers in rural and semi-urban areas have also faced significant challenges, exemplified by the protest against the Belagavi Ring Road. Earmarked lands notified for ring road development are the fertile lands of many small farmers who fear the loss of their livelihoods at the stake of such projects.

However, a PCU survey conducted in 2018 by the Department of Town Planning in Imphal found that 6 major junctions of the city were congested. The 2019 traffic survey by the SPA Bhopal also contributed to the Master Plan of Greater Imphal 2041, which prompted the proposal of a 32 km long Imphal Ring Road (IRR) under the Smart City Mission.

While ring road development offers prospects for economic growth and improved connectivity, they also raises issues of land acquisition, along with economic and environmental impact. The evolving urban landscape demands a collaborative approach, with citizens increasingly advocating for public consultations to make development more inclusive and sustainable.

Has there been a ring road project announced for your city? How do you see it impacting your city’s future?