Transporters' and Drivers' Council (TDC) decries traffic norms, parking system
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 14 2012: The norm of debarring all kinds of vehicles from entering Imphal city while allowing all types of vehicles to park alongside highways that pass through the city is not in the interest of the people, decried the Transporters' and Drivers' Council (TDC) .

These norms have been only aggravating traffic congestion in Imphal city.

Speaking to media persons today, TDC president H Ranjit alleged that children have been playing cricket and football on the streets of Imphal city after Traffic Police prohibited entry of all types of vehicles in Paona Bazar, Thangal Bazar, MG Avenue etc.

At the same time, NH 2, Nagamapal road, Wahengbam Leikai road have been turned into parking slots thereby aggravating traffic congestion in Imphal city.

Vehicles crowd the NH-2 stretch along the Kanglapat road

He also questioned as to who authorised parking of vehicle along the highways.

It was not right to make all the employees of PWD, PHED and IFCD to park their vehicles alongside NH 2 outside their office complex.

It is the duty of security forces to see that all the vehicles are parked inside the office complex, Ranjit asserted.

Regarding the prohibition on entry of vehicles into the commercial centres of Imphal, the TDC has submitted a representation to the Home Minister, he conveyed.

He went on to suggest that traffic congestion can be reduced to a considerable level if vehicles are allowed to ply between Keishampat Moreh Bazar to Khoyathong under one-way traffic system.

The semi-low floor buses brought to Imphal under Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission are not suitable for the roads of Manipur.

The State would not have faced the awkward situation had the Government consulted with transport societies before ordering the buses.

If Manipur had chosen mini-buses like Mizoram and Nagaland did, many firms and individuals would be more than happy to operate transport service using the same mini-buses.

The TDC president further sought attention of the Home Minister to ban double parking on important roads and streets of Imphal city and also to revoke the Cabinet decision pertaining to prohibition on entry of vehicles into Imphal city.