The ongoing wedding season has led to severe traffic congestion extending from city lanes to major highways. While traffic jams on the Dehradun Highway are typically limited to weekends (Saturdays and Sundays), the current wedding rush has resulted in daily congestion.

Situation At Siwaya Toll Plaza

On Thursday evening, the situation intensified at the Siwaya Toll Plaza.

Heavy Influx: Queues formed on both sides of the toll, but the highest volume of traffic—predominantly four-wheelers—was observed in lanes coming from Muzaffarnagar towards Meerut.

Queue Length: The line of vehicles extended past BharalaJhal towards the Daurala Flyover.

Operational Measures Taken To manage the overwhelming number of vehicles:

Reverse Lanes: Two lanes were operated in "reverse" to facilitate traffic heading towards Meerut.

Staff Deployment: An additional 10 employees were deployed at the plaza to speed up processing.

Police Assistance: The Daurala Police were present to organize disorderly vehicles into queues and ensure passage.

FASTag Issues And Disputes

A significant factor contributing to the delays was issues related to FASTags.

The Issue: Approximately 5 per cent of vehicles either did not have a FASTag or had tags that were blacklisted due to insufficient balance.

The Consequence: When toll staff demanded double the toll fee (as per penalty rules) for these violations, arguments ensued between drivers and staff.

Resolution: Police officers intervened to calm the drivers and explain the rules, after which the drivers paid the fees and proceeded.

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Other Impacted Areas

Beyond the toll plaza, congestion was reported at several specific points along the highway and nearby roads, including:

  • Dulheda Chowki cut
  • SDS Global Hospital cut
  • Pallavpuram Phase-One cut
  • Roorkee Road
  • Near the Highway Outpost
  • Dayampur and Khadauli cuts

Official Statement

Anuj Som, Senior Manager of the Siwaya Toll Plaza, confirmed that the congestion was primarily caused by vehicles related to weddings. He noted the deployment of extra staff and the assistance provided by the Daurala Police in managing the situation.

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