Mehta too has advised civil & police Admn to devise traffic management plan after a scientific study in 2 weeks
DAYA SAGAR
Often in debates/ seminars/ workshops / public meetings main reason for any traffic mess in a city like Jammu is quoted as increasing number of local vehicles and limited surface road facilities available not matching the growing needs. For slow flow of traffic and traffic jams some more reasons are quoted like road repair works being conducted during day time, vehicle owners not observing traffic regulations, VIP and even Sr Officer movements interrupting private traffic , mal functioning of traffic signals / lights, shortage of staff for regulating traffic, heavy requirement of funds for new roads/ subways/ flyovers . For Jammu city people often name the frequent traffic jams on the Amphalla new Plot Janipur High court Road, BC Road / Rehari Chungi, Rajinder Singh Chowk behind Civil Secretariat , KC Crossing & Shakuntla crossing, Jewal Chowk- Canal roads- Talab – Tillo , Exchange road upto Kachchi Chawani Chowk, different crossings in Gandhinagar colony, Panama Chowk to Railway Station to Channi Himmat rail sub way, road from railway crossing Channi Himmat upto Sector-4 and the like being there also due to some elements of poor traffic management too.
Ofcourse the need for new projects, requirement of additional funds and the growing traffic too are surely the genuine reasons but surely not the only reason. But new facilities cannot be created over night, we can also not force people to leave city, we can also not force people not to buy new vehicle. So should not we also try to see how best first atleast the available road network, the traffic staff and resources in hand can be used to have some possible relief available in terms of better discipline among the drivers, no parking on road side like ‘private day- night parking’, enforcing no parking/ atleast no haphazard parking of cars/ two wheelers on the roads in front of clinics/ coaching centres, motivating / facilitating people to make less use of their private vehicles, making more of responsive & caring public transport available to people, making the traffic flow on roads faster, making people to observe traffic rules effectively both during day & nights like use of dipper as a routine & not allowing any prohibited dazzling lights , instead of holding special check Nakas (particularly on crossings/Chowks) keep on checking the defaulters as a regular practice.
It has also been reported that while addressing a high level meeting (attended also by Additional Chief Secretary Home, Principal Secretary PWD, Commissioner Secretary Transport, Transport Commissioner, IG Traffic, SSP Traffic Jammu, SSP Traffic Kashmir ) over traffic management in the UT of J&K Dr Arun Kumar Mehta Chief Secretary (who himself has been a research scholar in the field of engineering) this 10th June suggested to officers of civil and police administration to on priority devise a better traffic management plan with a scientific approach keeping in view so common menace of unauthorized parking on roads, identification of needed parking places, optimum utilization of the available parking spaces, effective utilization of men and machinery efficiently, erecting barriers and diversions after proper care / scientific study, enforcement of traffic rules and particularly appreciating that civil societies have better solutions for self problems,that must reflect from plans.
Ofcourse the Traffic Management is in the hands of best lot of our ‘young’ force which qualifies for Indian Police Service as well as JKP Service and therefore the references being made here are just a feedback worth assisting them in their work suggesting that within limitations may be there are still some costless methods that could reduce traffic on roads, reduce accidents during day/ night, increase the speed of traffic flow and reduce jams. No doubt some very useful reforms already done like putting road dividers in some segments ,providing some marked parking spaces on the road side in some markets where roads space was available, provision of some road slips, passenger vehicle stops have been marked at some places ( although very less used). But much more needs to be done.
To quote in case the traffic police / related man power deployed by government makes the local taxies / three wheeler taxies to render services by operating as per the fare fixed by government it would send welcome signals. In cities like Jammu in case there is available law responsive local taxi service / three wheeler service may be 25 % to 30% of the people will not use private cars for local movements in city there by reducing traffic and pollution on the roads. Many avoid using taxies in view of possibility of disputes. How do taxies without meter pass by the side of traffic police standing in chowks ? Why do commuters do not report to traffic police for assistance ?
One may so often find the local commuters / visitors and three wheeler drivers blowing hot & cold in public places. Visitors from outside too would not speak bad in case they find local transport services abiding by rules.
Similarly the fair working of traffic lights has to be first priority for functioning in regular manner ( often lights are found in caution mode during day time also).
The traffic offenders in city like Jammu can well be observed through CCTV instead of organising particular check nakas near the crossings and odd places even during peak hours.
People driving two wheelers without helmet / safe headgear and / or using cell phone even while driving a two wheeler can be a common sight who need be checked on moment basis and not on only a Naka day. Such people are not only putting their own self in danger but can endanger/ involve in legal disputes some other innocent commuter / driver.
To be continued
(The author is Sr. Journalist :: leading scribe on Kashmir affairs dayasagr45@yahoo.com).