Chakkouba rush chokes commercial areas
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 11 2015: Heavy rush of Ningol Chakkouba and Diwali shoppers choked major roads of Imphal today and is likely to continue tomorrow too.

Ningol Chakkouba falls on November 13 .

Many street vendors were seen selling their wares even on the middle of the road as there was little space even for standing at Khwairamband market.

Although, police dispersed street vendors after 8 am on normal days, they had their day today as the rush was beyond control.

There was literally no traffic rule in Imphal as the crowd was too huge.

Although police asked the shopkeepers not to lay out their items on footpaths, there was nobody to heed them.

Chakkouba rush chokes commercial areas

The rush was so heavy that many people took around 30 minutes to look for parking space even for two-wheelers.

City police and traffic police kept on announcing traffic rules and guidelines for shopkeepers using loud speakers.

However, instead of abiding by these rules, the shoppers and shopkeepers followed their own rules and accomplished their tasks.

As there is no zebra crossing in any part of Kwairamband market, people haphazardly crossed roads anywhere making driving a nightmare in such conditions on Imphal roads.

The worst area is Shamu Makhong as shoppers from different parts of the State normally throng this place before they spread out to other parts of Khwairamband market for shopping.

On the other hand, taking advantage of the heavy rush, many criminals are roaming to snatch bags and other valuable items and earrings of children etc.

They do not waste any opportunity before they disappear into the crowd while some are captured and beaten up black and blue.

Regarding the heavy rush and subsequent inconvenience caused to shoppers and commuters during important festivals like Ningol Chakkouba and Yaoshang, a shopper said that traffic police should prepare an effective rule in advance to reduce traffic congestion.

Saying that most of the shoppers from other districts too usually come directly to Imphal, he observed that such rush would never reduce until adequate facilities of shopping are provided at other markets like Thoubal, Bishnupur and Nambol etc.