Get smarter at VIP traffic management

Monday morning blues reached a new peak when J D Vance's arrival in New Delhi sent the city's traffic into a tailspin. As the American veep and his entourage zipped through the streets, office-goers and commuters - and their fuel tanks - across Delhi-NCR were left fuming, with key roads choked in massive snarls. Similar disruptions were seen during the 2023 G20 summit and other high-profile events this year. After decades of hosting dignitaries, it's frustrating that New Delhi is yet to get the balance of VIP security and smooth traffic flow right.

While everyone understands the need to make the passage of dignitaries smooth and swift, turning the city into a 'Potemkin village' - a facade to deceive observers into believing conditions are much better than they really are - is self-defeating. Unease of going about everyday business is not something citizens would like to associate with traffic management for VIP ease. Authorities must move beyond surface-level fixes and invest in long-term, tech-enabled, traffic-flow dynamic solutions that also allow citizens to get on with their day. Indian cities can't afford to get into full-blown civic disruption mode each time someone important needs to commute here.

With proper planning and use of dynamic systems, it's very much possible to maintain security protocols without bringing different parts of the city to a standstill in different times. Real-time data should guide traffic monitoring, signal adjustments and temporary VIP lanes. Authorities must also improve public communication around planned disruptions. Clarity and notice can ease commuter frustration. For a country as tech-savvy and tech-aspirational as India, enabling smoother, smarter commutes shouldn't be this hard.