The ‘No U-Turn’ rule has been reinstated on Wardha Road in Nagpur during peak evening hours, as authorities move to ease mounting congestion along the busy corridor. The restriction will be enforced daily from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.
Why the Rule Was Reintroduced
Key junctions such as Ajni Square, Kriplani Square, Rahate Colony, and Lokmat Square have been witnessing frequent snarls. Officials link the pressure to the city’s vehicle count crossing 32 lakh. The situation had worsened in recent weeks due to road concretisation work between Rahate Colony and Lokmat Square, where traffic was reduced to a single lane. To manage that phase, police temporarily relaxed the No U-Turn restriction. With both lanes now operational, the rule has been brought back.
“The move is aimed at ensuring smoother traffic movement and reducing inconvenience to commuters,” said Sitabuldi Traffic Zone PI Aniruddha Puri.
Expected Benefits
Officials expect the measure to ease congestion at key junctions, particularly Rahate Colony and Kriplani Square, and enable uninterrupted movement for vehicles travelling from Zero Mile Square to Ajni Square via the Sitabuldi flyover during peak hours. Ajni Square, however, remains a persistent bottleneck. Long queues routinely stretch from the double-decker flyover to the junction, leading to bumper-to-bumper traffic and delays.
Commuters’ Concerns and Official Response
Commuters have called for extending the No U-Turn restriction to Ajni Square, but DCP (Traffic) Lohit Matani said the move presents practical challenges. “Including Ajni Square would require significantly longer diversions for motorists. We have not implemented it for now, but the issue will be revisited to explore feasible solutions,” he said.
The No U-Turn system, first introduced in October 2024 by then DCP (Traffic) Archit Chandak, had earlier helped reduce congestion. Authorities are hopeful its return will bring relief, even as longer-term fixes for chronic choke points like Ajni Square remain under consideration.
