Picking traffic chaos from traffic rush
Wedding cavalcades
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: February 07, 2012 -

Road rage has killed.

It has happened in other cities of the country and though Manipur is yet to figure on the map of 'road rage murder/killing,' a drive through any of the roads in Imphal would not be healthy for anyone with hypertension or acute ulcer.

The reasons are not far to seek.

The growing number of vehicles on the roads of Imphal can no longer be the alibi for the traffic chaos that one sees on a daily basis and if the authority concerned, the people themselves or anyone for that matter do not give some serious thoughts to this, then the day may not be far off when Manipur too joins the map of road rage killing/murder.

Traffic chaos, it is and chaos need not necessarily be due to the quantum jump in the number of vehicles.

There is the need to differentiate between traffic rush and traffic chaos and while Imphal will not come anywhere near any of the big cities in terms of traffic rush, in terms of traffic chaos it will rank right up there, high on the list.

The poverty of idea, the inability to think out of the box, sheer apathy and the lack of civic sense on the part of the public taken together form a potent recipe for the all round chaos that we see on the roads and streets of Imphal.

Sheer apathy can be seen easily in the 'tortoise' pace of work that comes under the ambit of developmental works.

With so many important road links literally unmotorable, motorists have no choice but to opt for the comparatively better routes, which are few.

So a motorist, starting from Khoyathong towards Keishampat will naturally take the Kanglapat road on NH-2 adding to the traffic volume on this route.

If the road widening work along Nagamapal had progressed as it should, then the pressure on the Kanglapat route will automatically reduce.

It is the same thing with other important road links.

The inter-State Bus Terminus has been officially inaugurated by no one less than the Prime Minister himself, but buses continue to be parked along NH-2 on the eastern side of DM College and the Manipur Baptist Convention leaving less room to the moving vehicles, which in turn lead to traffic chaos.

Concentration of commercial establishments only at Thangal bazar, Paona bazar and BT Road obviously means that all roads in Imphal lead to these places resulting in heavy traffic in these areas.

Why can't plans be formulated barring the opening of new commercial establishments at these areas and instead fan out, say towards Koirengei, beyond Kwakeithel on Tiddim road, beyond Canchipur etc.

Talk about Government apathy.

The wedding season is on, compounding the traffic snarls and chaos.

A time there was, when the number of vehicles used in ferrying the wedding guests was a statement of affluence and went a long way in helping one climb the social ladder, but times have changed and the need to redefine this mindset has never been felt as much as now.

To tackle persistent, stubborn and tough situations, tough decisions are indeed needed and this is where the Government need to seriously study the possibility of putting a cap on the number of vehicles that wedding parties should use.

Put a ceiling on the number of four wheelers that a wedding party can use and insist on the use of buses instead.

This will go a long way in not only lessening the number of vehicles on the roads, but also help in saving fuel, not to speak about cutting down on carbon emission.

Routes which wedding cavalcades may use should be specified and timings too should be set.

Put a ban on wedding cavalcades from cruising through the main roads of Imphal from say 9 am to 4 pm.

The Government needs to set examples too.

It absolutely makes no sense for the traffic cops to bark out orders to the public not to park their vehicles in the commercial areas, say like MG Avenue, while maintaining a meek silence when security personnel park their huge trucks plum in the middle of the road.

The onus is on us all.

The Government has to take up some proactive role.

The public need to wake up to the fact that driving a vehicle is not only a privilege, but entails a corresponding responsibility.

Wedding ceremonies need not be reduced to a show, bordering on the vulgar and the first step would be to cut down on the number of vehicles used.

Start using buses or other vehicles which may seat more passengers.

The task at hand is easy and tough at the same time, but this is no reason why efforts should not be made.

On the part of the public, the wedding season is perhaps the right time to start something to lessen the pressure on the roads.