Haphazard parking lots add to the confusion that is Imphal
My City, My Life
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 01 2009: It is a universally accepted norm that each capital of a country or a State should have a character of its own and this character reflects the attitude and mindset of the rulers and the ruled.

Imphal being the capital of Manipur is not an exception to this universally accepted norm but the character that epitomises this capital is not exactly flattering.

A drive through any road in Imphal is a vivid example of the all round chaos and confusion that have become synonymous with the State and the capital of Manipur. Traffic snarls may be accepted as part of urban nuisance, but what makes matter all that more unacceptable is the fact that the traffic jam and the chock-a-bloc roads that one sees every day is due chiefly not to the increasing number of motor vehicles, but due to the lack of planning or management by the powers that be.

Autos parked on the eastern side of NH-39 near GM Hall

A survey conducted by The Sangai Express as part of its weekly story "My City, My Life" revealed that there is no planning involved in opening parking lots and the few designated parking lots have come up haphazardly across Imphal.

Thanks to the many developmental projects taken up presently in Imphal, parking lots for light commercial vehicles have been set up without any thoughts and planning.

Almost all the parking lots have come up as temporary measures without any eye on the future adding to the traffic chaos and confusion.

The Traffic Regulation and Parking Committee set up by the Government has been lying in a state of comatose for years.

At the moment temporary parking lots for light commercial vehicles have been set up along the eastern side of Wahengbam Leikai, eastern side and western side of Nagamapal and at the eastern side of Johnstone Higher Secondary School and GM Hall.

With the parking lots set up in such a haphazard manner, it has added to the traffic chaos and confusion.

All the parking lots mentioned above are located in extremely crowded areas where traffic is heavy.

The parking lot on the eastern side of Johnstone Higher Secondary School and GM Hall is on NH-39 .

At these places where parking lots have come up it is not an uncommon sight to see frustrated traffic cops banging the commercial vehicles whenever there is traffic violation.

Speaking to The Sangai Express DSP of Traffic police, Manimohan said that the traffic lots have been opened at these spots as temporary measures because of the ongoing developmental works at Imphal city.

The ongoing works at Imphal include the digging up of roads for the Sewerage Project, sketching lane dividers, said the DSP adding that till date, the PWD has not been able to draw any zebra crossing.

Home Guard personnel are being utilised to control traffic, said the DSP and added that though not well trained, they are dispensing an invaluable service amid the dust and slush.

This should be appreciated by the public, he opined.

Stating that the traffic police lack many basic necessities, the DSP said there is no changing room for the male traffic cops, they are not well trained and are burdened by lack of man power.

Double parking is not allowed in Paona bazar and Thangal bazar, said the official and added that since the Traffic police do not have the space to they cannot tow away the vehicles which violate parking norms.

As such the traffic cops have to confiscate the documents of the vehicles.

If the vehicles can be towed away and taken to a designated place, it would be more effective, said the DSP.

VIPs zooming in the city area with their sirens on has also added to the traffic nuisance as well as the race by the commercial vehicles to pick up or drop passengers.

As such incidents of road mishaps have been on the rise in the last few years.

An auto driver while talking to The Sangai Express near GM Hall, said that double parking is prohibited at the parking lot.

However since there is no place for them to stop and drop the passengers, they are constrained to halt their vehicles on the road, for which they get penalised.

Clearly it is a lost case for the common people at the moment.