Dealing with traffic congestion, AIR Imphal shows the way
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 06 2014: Even as talks were going on about the possibility of introducing van services for Government employees just like for school children in order to reduce traffic congestion on the busy roads, employees of All India Radio (AIR), Imphal have been relieved of daily ordeal of going to office and returning home during peak traffic hour every day, thanks to one energetic man from Tera Loukrakpam Leikai in Imphal West, who has launched a van service for them.

Absence of sufficient public transport system in the State has been one of the major causes of traffic chaos on the roads during office hours particularly in the twin capital cities of Imphal East and Imphal West.

Introduction of van services for the Government employees is expected to reduce traffic snarl at least to some extent.

With staff of AIR Imphal showing the way, one can only hope that other Government departments would follow suit.

Dealing with traffic congestion, AIR Imphal shows the way

The van service for the AIR employees is a pet project of Ningombam Momo Singh (42).He launched the service yesterday carrying five employees in his private van.

One woman employee of AIR, Imphal told Hueiyen Lanpao that Momo has been hired for catering the service after they (AIR staff) agreed among themselves that a private van service would be better off for them as they want to avoid potential mishaps and rough drivers on the roads.

Momo arrives at their doors to pick them up every day at 9:45 am and then he comes to the office to drop them home at 4:30 pm.

If one wants to go to the office late, then he or she needs to ride on private vehicle.

Each of the staff member pay Rs 1,500 per month to the van driver, but this rate has been accepted by Momo considering that the service is confined to Imphal city only.

Other staff members of AIR, Imphal said the choice came after a long debate, adding that before the van service began they used to ride cars.

Earlier, for coming and going to office in car, one has to spend at least Rs 6,000 for hiring a driver.

This was in addition to the money one has to spend on fuel consumption, they pointed out, while observing that nearly 70 percent of the traffic volume during peak hour will be certainly reduced if such van services for all Government departments and offices come up.

"Convenience apart, the service has enabled us to maintain regular timing," they added.

Noting that four-wheelers are not permitted to be bought by anybody in developed countries until detailed information about the availability of garage and parking sites for vehicles are furnished, they admitted that people here ride freely and park their vehicles on busy road sides, thereby adding to the traffic congestions.

Rough riders disrupt traffic movement and at the same time they make traffic police engage in very tiring job.

There is no modern transport system in Manipur except the existing passenger services provided by noisy and popular diesel autos and Tata Magic vans, they said and observed that now it is late for the Government to take special steps for introduction of a good transport system in the State.