Traffic congestion is a long-standing crisis
Following the return of students to schools, streets in most areas of Kuwait have become congested. This is not solely due to the resumption of the school year, but also because of ongoing road repairs and the closure of some major roads, as well as population growth among both Kuwaiti citizens and residents. Traffic congestion remains a long-standing crisis that recurs every year, with the government yet to find adequate solutions. Other factors contributing to traffic jams and bottlenecks include the increasing number of vehicles. In Kuwait, transportation relies almost entirely on private car ownership, with each individual typically using a personal vehicle for commuting and daily travel. In contrast, European countries and many other nations around the world provide diverse and alternative public transport options, such as trains, public buses, and light metro systems.
Historically, urban and road planning in Kuwait did not incorporate provisions for new routes or infrastructure to support railway lines for future use. Consequently, establishing and constructing railway and train tracks between districts and governorates in Kuwait is currently very difficult. It is also unreasonable for a government employee residing in Al Mutlaa or the Al Wafra residential area to have their workplace in the capital, in areas such as Sharq or Al Murqab. Some families face significant difficulties due to the long distances and heavy traffic between their homes and workplaces.
One of the drawbacks and risks of traffic congestion is the difficulty ambulances and fire trucks face in reaching accident scenes and hospitals. Delays put the lives of patients and injured individuals at risk, as there are medical and emergency cases that cannot afford to wait for extended periods on the roads. Therefore, it is essential to provide alternative routes and pathways to save the lives of patients and the injured.
Recently, the government adopted flexible working hours to adjust employee arrival times in an attempt to reduce traffic congestion. However, this measure has not prevented traffic jams and bottlenecks. One proposed solution to alleviate traffic congestion is to decentralize government operations by relocating work from the capital to the various governorates. Specifically, government offices and workplaces should be distributed across all governorates, particularly in relatively remote areas, such as the northern regions of Al Jahra, Al Mutlaa, and Saad Al Abdullah, and the southern regions of Sabah Al Ahmad and Al Wafra residential area. This would help reduce pressure on major roads during peak hours.
Fawaz Ahmad Al-Hamad
