Surat: About 20 officials of Gujarat Gas Limited (GGL) had adopted carpooling system to travel to their office a few years ago. They go to their office in a batch of four persons per car in one of their colleagues’ vehicle to avoid traffic jam during peak hours on Sardar Bridge and also to save fuel.There was a time when Ruchir Upadhyay, an officer at GGL, would be tensed negotiating bumper-to-bumper traffic on Sardar Bridge, while crossing over the river from his house in Athwalines to Adajan. But, commuting became hassle-free after he joined the carpooling system started by his colleagues.“Now, I enjoy travelling with my fellow officers on way to office. We also discuss important issues on way to the office. The headache of driving and negotiating endless traffic jams is just off my back,” says Upadhyay.Even employees working in industrial units at Hazira have adopted carpooling to reach their respective destinations, thereby saving on fuel and lessening the problem of parking at their workplaces.Surat Municipal Corporation, which hires more than 500 cars on rent for transporting its officers, should adopt carpooling system. Instead of 500 cars, it could do with nearly 100 cars through the carpooling system.A couple of diamond companies have at least 15 buses to transport their employees from Varachha to Ichhapore Jewellery Park daily. Likewise, textile traders must also start carpooling system to avoid traffic congestion on Ring Road.Federation of Surat Textile Traders’ Association secretary Champalal Bothra said, “Most of the textile traders reside in Vesu, City Light, VIP Road and New City Light areas. The carpooling system is a wonderful initiative and should be adopted by the traders.”

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