India, May 29 -- Commuters at Subhash Chowk say they are frequently forced to navigate phantom traffic jams caused by jaywalking and encroachments of the main road by auto rickshaws. According to traffic police estimates, the key junction located on Sohna Road acts as an interchange for nearly one-fourth of daily city traffic transiting from Sohna to Gurugram.

Phantom jams occur when relatively free-flowing movement of vehicles on a road is disrupted, causing a delayed effect backwards, and creating the impression of traffic congestion. A spot check on May 28 found that pedestrians and drivers flouting traffic norms, includingwrong-side drivingand illegal parking.

Pedestrians, meanwhile, could be seen running across the streets in the m...