Cocktail of ignorance and arrogance: Betting on the wrong horse
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: July 27 2011 -

It is obvious that the Government is betting on the wrong horse-A result of the dangerous cocktail of arrogance and ignorance. To any other entity it should have been clear.

The farcical attempts made to streamline the flow of traffic, at least in Imphal areas, are writ large on the traffic lights put up in some crossings of Imphal. As long as the traffic lights stand there by themselves, it is bearable, but the moment they come to life with the red, yellow and green signals then all hell breaks loose, reducing the traffic lights and the traffic system to a caricature.

The reason is not far to seek. In the absence of any planning, the most fundamental of questions such as how long should the green light be on and what factors should be taken into consideration while working out the time, have been conveniently over looked, either through design or ignorance.

The confusion created whenever the traffic lights are activated at the whim of some suited, booted Tomba or Chaoba is the proof of the pudding. In the process Imphal may have earned the tag of the first and only city in the country where the presence of traffic cops are felt much more to ensure that everyone follows the red, green and yellow signals emitted by the traffic lights.

Traffic lights should serve two primary functions. One, to ensure a smoother flow of vehicles and another to make up for the shortage of man power. But a look at Imphal will leave no one in doubt that these points figure nowhere in the Government’s scheme of things. Far from ensuring more efficiency, one sees more confusion, more angry and frustrated motorists and of course more honkings at every crossing whenever the traffic lights are activated.

On the other hand, far from making up for the shortage of man power, the activation of the traffic lights invariably means the need to deploy more traffic cops to ensure that the effort of the Government does not end up in road mishaps. What a farce ! This is not only a public display of the inefficiency of the Government but is also an insult to our intelligence.

Maybe the Government was more concerned with the process of awarding the contract and supply work of installing and activating the traffic lights and the reason cannot be lost on anyone with a modicum of intelligence.

If a Government cannot properly work out the modalities of installing and activating traffic lights in the dotcom age, then it becomes something of a joke when it points its finger at the civilians for not adhering to traffic rules and regulations !

Among the other notable efforts taken up by the Government was the decision to reverse the traffic direction inside Thangal bazar and Paona bazar. Instead of the earlier practise when vehicles were allowed to pass through Paona bazar from the side of Keishampat, vehicles are now allowed to enter this market place from BT Road near the BT Flyover.

Vehicles coming from Thangal bazar side are also allowed to enter Paona bazar from the mentioned point. Whether this has served any purpose or not can be seen from the now open, now closed entry point next to the traffic circle near the western gate of Kangla for vehicles coming along NH-39 from the northern side.

Per se the inefficiency of the Government does not rankle us that much in the backdrop of the extremely low expectations we have from this dispensation. However what rankles us no end is when the Government agencies start talking about traffic rules and regulations.

Rules and regulations are enforced for the overall benefits of all but this goes for a big toss when these rules and regulations become the defining line between who comes under these rules and who are deemed important enough to rubbish them.

And this is what all traffic rules and regulations enforced in Imphal have been doing ! Can anyone faithfully and sincerely say that there is something called traffic rules in Manipur ?

If yes, then please educate us. It will sound more logical and more right if a motorist is pulled up for murder if he runs over anyone and not for violating traffic rules and regulations !

What is the speed limit for vehicles within the commercial areas of Imphal ? Are there any ‘no horn’ zones and if yes on what basis are these rules implemented ? Who are the people given the authority to demand right of way ? And under what circumstances ?

The people need not be told about the case of the Fire Brigade and the Ambulance on duty or even the convoy of the Governor. They also need not be told about the security forces who may be hot on the trail of a criminal.

However a clear cut answer is needed on the position of the uniformed personnel when they are on ‘normal duty’ such as the police officer going to his office or the cops on their fancy bikes patrolling the streets of Imphal.

The Government should also spell out whether the heavy vehicles of the Army, Assam Rifles, CRPF, BSF or any other security agencies are allowed to enter the busy Paona bazar and Thangal bazar or not or whether they are authorised to park their vehicles in the areas where school vans are not allowed to park.

These questions are important for the basic reason behind the madness we see on the streets of Imphal is because no one follows the rules. When cops on traffic duty turn a blind eye to their colleagues violating one way norms or when the security forces park their vehicles plum in the middle of the busy road, then what rules and regulations are we talking about ?

In such a situation, it is but natural that the so called traffic rules will be violated the minute the cops turn their eyes away and ultimately the very reason for enforcing the rules and regulations will fall flat on its face.

Yes the civilians need some basic lessons in civic sense, but before that the Ministers, MLAs, top brass of the Police Department and officers of the Army, AR, CRPF and others need to be told that they cannot mess around with the something like traffic rules, for in doing that they are also insulting our intelligence.