No tangible solution yet to traffic chaos in Imphal
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 21: During the last few days, vehicular flow along the major routes of Imphal, Keishamthong-Khuyathong road and Kangla Pat stretch were scenes of heavy congestions and long standstill halts.

Though, traffic jams are common during processions and occasional rush hours, the high frequency encountered nowadays has become a major concern.

At the same time, the hasty dislocation of passenger vehicle parking lots from the commercial zones on security ground by the Imphal west police has thrown up a lot of complicated issues.

Hundreds of jeeps and old and new autorickshaws have illegally occupied spaces in front of Johnstone Higher Secondary School and Gandhi Memorial Hall attracting crowds of passengers looking out for vehicles to take them to their destinations.

Heavy traffic and the chaos in front of Kangla gate

Despite being a traffic nuisance, the temporary parking lot happens to be at an area that demands heavy traffic movement, increasing the risk of accidents.

Just a few days ago, two scooter-borne women came under a school bus at Wahengbam Leikai, another location with disorderly traffic at present.

The women did not meet a fatal end but onlookers blamed erratic traffic control for the avoidable incident.

The Western Kangla Gate, as in everybody's imagination, brings a similar comparison and premonition.

In a desperate bid to ensure smooth flow of traffic, and ease congestion, traffic cops pushed down a large number of two wheelers which were found parked on the eastern side of Kasturi bridge today, just behind PC Jain.

The motorists having no option had parked their vehicles on the available space behind PC Jain.

Traffic DSP Birababu said accidents happen, but the Imphal West police has taken up precautionary measures to lessen the instances and are on a vigil to overcome any immediate traffic crisis.

"The deploymment of personnel to control traffic in key areas has been augmented.

According to the change effected in view of the evolving situation, armed personnel have been raised to 7-8 per points while two white uniform traffic police will supplement the usual two-three on duty." he announced.

The white uniformed traffic police, though vested with unique powers under the motor vehicle acts, and armed security personnel on such assignment have the same responsibility on maintaining flow and safety of commuters, the supervision of which comes directly under the Superintendent of Police's ambit of power.

However, in any circumstances the eviction of these passenger vehicles from their temporary parking lots appeared a dim possibility.

Sympathising with the suffering of the vehicle owners and drivers and more importantly, the hapless women vendors who will be forced to part with a substantial amount of their measly income on travelling, the administration may retain the temporary parkings on humanitarian grounds, one official observed.

DSP Birababu claimed that though security cover for trading places has contributed to the lethargic traffic, improper town planning and arbitrary constructions taken up by other departments were the determining factors for the public woes.

"Shop owners with four wheelers have been asked to leave their vehicles at adjoining areas, after the restriction, thus reducing the space for public commuting.

But had there been normal accessibility in the inter-linking roads the abnormal traffic bog down could have been averted." he added.

Conditions such as the rampant digging of major roads due to the Imphal sewerage project, the blocking of passage on Khwairamband Bridge had more far reaching effect than the measure for security blanket, he added.

However, the worst factors seemed to be the lack of planning by the town authority and the spiralling number of motor vehicles.

The Imphal west traffic police, which has nearly 100 staff is definitely short on manpower.

In addition to their normal duties, which consumed most of them, they had to cater to VIP movements and rising number of vehicular cases.