Satellite towns
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: March 22, 2012 -

A view of traffic congestion at Imphal - Pix :: TSE

Nothing can be truer than the Chief Minister's statement that development of satellite towns in greater Imphal areas is a must to reduce over-congestion in Imphal city.

Even as it was stated that there was no more space for raising the number of shops and market sheds in Imphal city, more and more people have a craze to open shops, schools and offices within the boundary and periphery of Khwairamband Bazar. This has severely compounded the problems of congestion and over-population in Imphal city.

The Chief Minister was right in saying that increasing population and raising number of vehicles were also prime factors for traffic congestion in the capital city. Notwithstanding the small size of Imphal city, the number of vehicles, both two-wheelers and four wheelers is overwhelmingly huge.

Moreover, all kinds of vehicles coming from different directions of the State converge in Imphal city thereby aggravating traffic problems. All people seemingly have a desire to do marketing only in Khwairamband. This is understandable as all kinds of goods are available here.

Here, the Chief Minister's announcement about the Government's plan to build market complexes in greater Imphal areas while simultaneously re-structuring Khwairamband Keithel assumes significance.

But only plans do not suffice, what matters most is execution of the plans. Nor should the Government commit the fait accompli of shirking away from its responsibility by claiming that there is no space for development of an alternative city in place of the existing Imphal city. Condition of Imphal city will only fester if the Government goes on with waiting for time under cover of plans.

It demands a strong political will to execute a meticulous plan. All will not agree that there is no space for development of alternative city. If the Government is looking around only at the periphery of Imphal, the Government would never find what it is looking for.

If the Government is committed enough, there is a lot of space not only in Imphal East but also in Imphal West, that too not far away from Khwairamband market. By developing modern infrastructure, the proposed alternative city can be made more popular and impressive.

Like an alternative city, people would welcome with open hearts if the Government takes up the task of developing satellite towns in and around Imphal. But what counts is action not empty promises. However, there may be certain voices of dissent when satellite towns are developed and enlarged.

But then, who can satisfy all sections of the society at the same time? The Home Minister's announcement that efforts were on to introduce a high-level traffic management system is worth considering.

Already, many traffic experiments have been made in Imphal city, and we are pained to say that most of the experiments met with abject failure. Such ad-hoc experiments only peeved the public.

All these ad-hoc measures did not reflect any sign of proper planning and management. It is not the age to experiment with systems which are doomed to flop. If the experiments of the local experts have failed, we may seek advice from experts based in other cities. There is no need to study traffic system of Singapore for easing traffic flow at Imphal.

Forget about Singapore, we must admit that majority of our people are yet to imbibe civic sense that is already ingrained in the minds of Aizawl denizens.

For Imphal city, it would be more compatible to study the traffic system of Kolkata. The situation demands action not empty promises otherwise people would remain caught in nerve-wracking traffic jams and queues as and where there is a function at Khwairamband or the Raj Bhavan.