Traffic Circus : Manipur Style
- Part 2 -

Maisnam Rubie *

Traffic Circus : Manipur Style :: Pix - TSE

SUGGESTIONS

Following are few of the points that I could come up with that will help reducing the traffic congestions, if they are implemented by the concerned departments sincerely:

i. Most important, whoever is the traffic managers, (he or she may be from police or VDF personnel or Home Guards personnel) should be totally trained on traffic regulations, they should be well versed with all the traffic rules and norms before they are set out on the roads. If the government's budget allows, the traffic personnel could be sent for a short term course at Traffic Managements Institutes like 'Institute of Road Traffic Education' and 'College of Traffic Management, New Delhi, or the higher officers of traffic police department could pursue the training and in return they impart the necessary training to other personnel.

And for those who are already inducted from homeguard, vdf etc as traffic police, they have to act like how they suppose to. They cannot continue to be acting like a cash collector (10 bucks from every passing by auto rickshaws), until and unless they stop these unethical practices no auto rickshaws driver or anyone on the road will respect them.

ii. If Transport Department along with Police and Traffic Police with schools, colleges authorities and parents could organize 'traffic awareness programmes' in schools and colleges will be great importance in traffic managements.

iii. Everyone understands, aftermath the unfortunately incidents of 4th January 2016 earth quake, women vendors of Ema Keithel are not allowed to do their daily business in their designated stalls or place. However, when they are provided with alternative place at temporary market shed, they should not be allowed to do their business on the busy roads of Thangal and Paona bazaar.

No one should be allowed to carry on their commercial activities on the footpaths or roadsides (in the case of Thangal bazaar, it's not the roadsides, but the 'whole road' have been literally taken control by vegetable sellers and fabric merchandise dealers). (to be contd)

This is where the government departments like – Municipality departments, Town planning departments and Police departments need to work in coordination with one another. Certificates or permits should not be given to just anybody to run their business in bazaar area, it should be provided to only the ones who meet all the criteria and requirements, and there has to be specific numbers after which the issuance of permits has to stop after reaching certain numbers.

Here, the police and traffic managers have to do what is needed to be done; they just can't be mute spectators to these. If the need arise they have to use force to clear the roads of Thangal and Paona bazaar. Vegetable vendors and other street vendors cannot keep on misusing the name of 'Street Vendors Act' and cause traffic congestion to the already congested road.

iv. Allotment of parking areas for Autos, Tata Magics, Wingers etc right in the middle of bazzar also adds to the traffic congestion in and around bazaar area (it's a chaos everyday at Kangeibung pologround, infront of Imphal municipal office, Wahengbam Leikai, Nagamapal, Khoyathong parking etc). However, these public transports should be allowed pick-up and drop passengers at appropriate places around market area but they shouldn't be allow to park. So suitable parking space should be allotted little away from the market area.

v. The place where old assembly is situated could be well turned into a multi-storeyed parking building. And the lane on the bank of Nambul river running parallel to Masjid road could be well utilized as the parking space for the people coming to Paona Bazaar and make the stretch of Paona Bazaar a vehicle free zone.

vi. Loading and unloading of goods for the shops in market area should only be allowed before 06.00am in the morning and only after 07.30 in the evening. Shopkeepers should not be allowed to occupy footpaths. All the goods and products should only be stored or display inside the store itself.

vii. Similarly heavy vehicles should only be allow to ply through Imphal town between 08.00pm to 05.00 am only.

viii. Most of the government departments/ offices have no parking space. As such, for the new office complexes coming up, there should be a well defined plan for parking space. Until that happens, lane opposite to BSNL Bhavan could serve as a parking spot for the vehicles parked on the road stretch of Babupara, and the huge empty space of MSRTC complex next to Kalimai mandir could be utilized to house all the vehicles belonging to the employees of secretariat and other adjoining offices. The vehicles belonging to security forces could be well parked inside the 1st MR Complex.

ix. As many readers have pointed out rightly, the traffic island at Neityapat Chuthek , Kangla gate, Konung Mamang and Chingmeirong Khongnang Ani Karak are big hurdles to the every rising traffic of Imphal. These traffic islands should be reconstructed to smaller better traffic island to ease traffic crossing.

x. Banks should be more cautious and reasonable while giving out car or vehicle loans. Besides focusing on the interest rate and profits, every consideration should be also taken if Imphal roads could handle more vehicles. Similarly, Transport department should be more careful while issuing driving licenses and more importantly 'no more permits' should be issued to auto rickshaws till the traffic congestions could be maintained at the normal pace.

xi. It is everyone's' responsibilities (from cyclist to auto rickshaws drivers to Bolero's owners to the so called VIPs tinted glass cars) to help maintain the traffic smooth. It does not only depend on the shoulders of Traffic police., or police or Transport Dept., it lies on everyone every public. Being just aware of traffic rules and norms does not work, but enforcing it ourselves and following what we are aware of makes the difference.

xii. Last but not the least, I, representing all the readers would request 'The Sangai Express' to keep continuing, in-fact we would like your esteemed paper to intensify the campaign on traffic congestions. The other print and electronic media should also be invited to carry on similar campaign till everyone acts, till all of us are free from the chaotic traffic congestions.

Concluded...