Traffic sense, least sense among motorists : Of red light and others
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: January 25, 2013 -

If common sense is the most uncommon sense, then traffic sense must be the least sense amongst the motorists of Manipur.

The understanding of driving has not progressed from the realm of 'start the engine, press the clutch, switch from neutral to first gear and then slowly release the clutch to put the vehicle into motion.'

Little wonder then that Zebra Crossing could mean a word straight out from the Zoo to many of the motorists and lane would only mean the narrow strip of roads that criss crosses the localities of Imphal.

Add the pathetic absence of urban planning, the lack of expertise on the part of the personnel who have been entrusted with the task of regulating traffic flow, the rapidly increasing number of vehicles and the script may just be ready for the chaos and confusion that one sees on the roads and streets of Imphal every day.

There is a reason why professionals in the essential services, such as medical, fire service, water supply and the media, see a bright side to any bandh or general strike-The free flow of traffic as most of the vehicles stay off the road.

An indication of how nightmarish the traffic of Imphal has become in recent years and this is saying something a lot.

No fanfare, no media hype and it seemed that it was with a sense of purpose that the traffic lights installed at important sections of the roads in Imphal were put into operation.

Still early to say whether the traffic lights have been operationalised on trial basis or will be there permanently, but regulating the flow of traffic is not merely about stop and proceed as the red light and green light signify.

Machines do not work by themselves, seems to be a philosophy which the Traffic Police seems to have taken seriously.

And so it is that traffic cops are posted at all the traffic islands where the traffic lights have been put into operation to tell the motorists when to move and when to stop, according to the lights that come up.

Says something significant about the utter lack of traffic sense amongst the motorists. The main purpose of operationalising traffic lights is to regulate the flow of traffic as well as to ease the pressure on man power.

So far there is nothing to indicate that using the traffic lights in Imphal has served its purpose. It is early days yet, but it is common sense that along with putting to use the traffic lights, certain other steps should be taken up.

At the moment, there is no such thing as lanes. The road divider is the only thing that comes close to laning.

No thoughts have also been given on the parking lots for commercial vehicles, especially auto diesel taxis and the Tata Magics.

Nowhere is this more stark than the stretch between the office of the PWD at Khoyathong and GM Hall along Kanglapat road or National Highway 2.

With no regulations on laning, motorists do not hesitate to change lanes at any given opportunity and the chaos and confusion that is thus generated is a daily occurrence.

Let the traffic lights continue to regulate traffic, but at the same time, give some thoughts to other aspects of traffic such as parking lots, lanes, educating the motorists etc.

A little common sense amongst those behind the wheels too will go a long way in addressing the traffic nightmare on the roads of Imphal.