November 9, 2023. New Delhi – As India gears up to celebrate Diwali this weekend, HERE Technologies, is helping travellers navigate the bustling streets with traffic data and analytics.
According to historical traffic data from HERE, Connaught Circle in Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) was one of the more congested roads towards the evening at around 5pm to 6pm. This congestion began from as early as 10 days leading up to Diwali (24 October 2022). On Thursday 4pm, T-4 days to Diwali, traffic at Connaught Circle was three times more congested than usual.
Additionally, daily traffic peaked between 6pm and 7pm at Marine Drive Road in Mumbai over the same period of time. Traffic was almost twice as heavy as normal days during this time. In Lucknow, Mahatma Gandhi Marg saw a 62% increase in traffic congestion on Thursday at 6pm during the pre-Diwali period. In Bengaluru, heavy traffic started as early as 7am at Bellary Road towards the end of the week. Fridays and Saturdays were most congested. Congestion scores peaked close to 60% between 4pm and 6pm on these days.
HERE Traffic Analytics data was leveraged to examine road speeds in Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Lucknow, Mumbai. A congestion score is a percentage that shows how much longer it takes to travel on a road with traffic. This is compared to when there’s no traffic. The higher the congestion score, the more congested the road is. A score of more than 30% is considered congested.
For Diwali travel planning this year, HERE has identified optimal departure times. By taking into account historical traffic patterns, road conditions, and real-time data, HERE is able to identify the bottlenecks and traffic hotspots that travelers should be aware of. This helps travelers plan for optimal windows to start their journey. It supports a smoother and more efficient travel experience.
For instance, travelers in Delhi NCR and Mumbai can significantly reduce travel time by starting their journey in the morning before 10am. Traffic tends to be relatively light during this period. For travelers taking Dwarka Road in Delhi NCR, HERE recommends to depart before 9am. In Lucknow, commencing travels between 7am and 9am on most roads offers a similar advantage. In Bengaluru, starting the journey before 11am and avoiding Ramanna Maharishi Roadcan help avoid peak traffic congestion.
Abhijit Sengupta, Senior Director and Head of Business for India & Southeast Asia at HERE Technologies said, “Diwali is India’s most celebrated holiday of the year where families and communities come together from far and wide. Millions of people take to the roads to reunite with their loved ones. This leads to an annual surge in traffic congestion. HERE Technologies recognizes the significance of Diwali and the emotions associated with reuniting with family and friends during this festive season. That’s why our goal is to help travelers make the most of their Diwali celebration by providing them with valuable traffic insights that can ease their travel woes and make their journey more enjoyable.”
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