Traffic chaos chokes Ukhrul town
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik

Ukhrul, April 15 2022: With the number of vehicles increasing sharply in Ukhrul in the last few years, road stretches in commercial areas of the district headquarters have now become a parking space affecting all alike due to increased travel time and fuel costs.

The poor traffic regulations coupled with a single road running through the town is also another source of traffic congestion at road stretches passing through Wino Bazar, Viewland, Phungreitang and Hamleikhong.

Without considering the hardships being faced by the people, vehicles have reportedly been given the green signal to park at narrow lanes on both sides of the road merely for collecting fees, leaving little space for the pedestrians.

As Ukhrul town has seen frequent road accidents due to reckless driving, the department concerned has been carrying out a drive regularly to check traffic violations and penalise the defaulters.

Traffic chaos chokes Ukhrul town

This random and chaotic roadside parking has also added much woes to the public of Ukhrul as people running into at least one long queue has become a regular occurrence.

Though Ukhrul Traffic Control Police (TCP) being deployed in the town area has been urging the people to obey traffic rules, it has had little to no effect in easing traffic congestion as most local drivers don't pay any heed to the direction.

When this correspondent interacted with some of the local denizens, an elderly woman Panam Muirang said that safety is not guaranteed while walking in crowded market areas as both sides of the road have been occupied by vehicles.

She then said that roadside parking has to be banned in all commercial zones for public convenience and for the safety of the people.

Road accident is very common in Ukhrul town and it will not change unless stringent traffic rules are enforced, she said and added that separate parking lots should be identified and concrete steps taken up to regulate traffic movement in the town as Ukhrul has a great potential to become an eco-tourism hotspot in future.

Panam Muirang further stated that the eastern and western circular roads of Ukhrul town have to be expanded to ease traffic congestion.

"It is high time to enact a law to prohibit vehicle parking on all roadsides and make sure vehicle owners own a parking space at their residence or rent a commercial garage for the convenience and safety of all," she added.