Traffic regulation outside a school in Pattom during morning rush hour, in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
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R. Raveendran, 40, a businessperson, says dropping his son off at school has never been more stressful. He takes nearly an hour to complete the 7-km commute from home. “It’s harrowing to sit in an idling car in rush hour traffic, swamped by a sense of helplessness as you wait interminably for the snarl to ease”, he says.
The situation is worse for two-wheeler riders, who risk daily exposure to vehicular pollution on the congested roads, says M. Vishnu Sankar, a post-graduate law student. He says that stressed-out drivers vent their rage by honking incessantly or arguing with other road users. “Rush hour traffic exacts a physical and mental toll on road users”, says Mr. Sankar.
Traffic congestion has intensified at several junctions across the city as schools have reopened for another academic year, forcing students, parents, and schools to adapt to longer travel times during peak hours. General Hospital Junction, the Kesavadasapuram – Pattom stretch and Vazhuthacaud have emerged as major bottlenecks during the morning and evening rush.
“We have advanced reporting time by 30 minutes to help students reach class on time”, said Sr. Sebin Fernandez, Principal, Holy Angels’ Convent Higher Secondary School, Vanchiyoor, Thiruvananthapuram. Geetha G, Principal, Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Cotton Hill, said that the school has notified students to leave home earlier to avoid delay.
On the Kesavadasapuram–Pattom road, school authorities pointed to unfinished road and overbridge works as major contributors to traffic delays. John, the transport in-charge at St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School, Pattom, said the road works that began six months ago remain incomplete, with trenches dug for pipeline works left open in some areas, adding to the traffic congestion during rush hours. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic South), Suresh Krishna, said traffic volume peaks between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner K. Karthik told The Hindu that there was no one-shot solution to the intensifying traffic congestion in urban centres. Vehicle density has increased several-fold even as the carrying capacity of roads remains almost static. He said the Traffic Regulatory Committee would soon meet under the chairpersonship of the City Mayor, V.V. Rajesh, to weigh measures to mitigate rush hour traffic congestion, including a proposal to stagger school timings, and increase the number of home guards and traffic wardens on the road.
Malavika Devi J.R. is interning with The Hindu
Published – June 09, 2026 08:01 pm IST
