Dr. S. Sapru
Traffic on the roads of Jammu is attracting lot of attention these days because the traffic rules are being attempted to be put in place. The rules have all along been violated, are being violated and shall continue to be violated in times to come. Only the magnitude of violations may change. While the present IGP Traffic is putting in all the efforts under his command to set the system right but I have a hunch that he shall sooner than not face the same fate as Benerjee, Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar in late 70’s, (as penned down by Shiban Khabri in his article titled “Basant Rath a la Banerjee”,) or for that matter what any other upright officer faces across the country.
Traffic weeks are observed every year, normally in the first week of January, with the purpose of educating people and even the traffic constabulary about the traffic rules and regulations. One such week was observed 25 years back in 1993 during the period January 4th to 10th 1993. On the concluding day of the traffic week a function was held in Hotel Asia Jammu, which was attended by the senior officers of the Traffic Department and the prominent citizens of Jammu and covered by the media, mostly print media. Amongst other activities a report based on a survey was also presented on this day, salient features of the report were published in the Kashmir Times of January 10, 1993.
The Survey report under question was based on the responses received from the public, to a questionnaire formulated for the purpose. The sample size was fairly large, around 10,000, and therefore the outcome was genuinely authentic. The main observations were as under:-
1. While 40 per cent people felt extremely bothered by traffic, 35 per cent felt moderately bothered and 25 per cent not bothered.
2. Even while indoors 30 per cent people felt bothered by the smoke and exhaust fumes.
3. While 90 per cent of the people feared from the danger of traffic, 98 per cent felt unsafe walking on the roads of Jammu.
4. While the main fear of walking on the roads was attributed to the speeding traffic, quite a sizable section attributed it to bad road conditions, excessive traffic and slackness on the part of Traffic Police.
5. The maximum pedestrian fear was attributed to the way mini-buses or matadors ply.
6. Even as a passenger a sizable section felt unsafe due to the speed of the automobile and unmanaged traffic conditions.
7. Nearly 100 per cent of the people were of the opinion that over loads should not be allowed, yet 77 per cent of them conceded to travelling in overloads.
8. Around 80 per cent of the people felt irritated by the exhaust fumes-while waiting for the transport at different stops.
9. Speed breakers were seen as a greater threat than a relief because of their bad design and lack of identification.
Some of the recommendations those made at that time were:-
a) Mini buses be made to stop at their designated stops only.
b) Wrong parking be discouraged.
c) General bus stand be shifted to East of Tawi.
d) Zebra crossings be highlighted and police personnel located near them to streamline the pedestrian and traffic movement.
e) Subways and flyovers be made, which was felt to be very necessary for the otherwise narrow roads of Jammu.
f) Two more bridges be constructed, one was already under construction (near Gujjar Nagar) and the second was proposed near ‘Nehar’, which has also come up.
g) Specialised training be imparted to the Traffic Police constabulary conforming to the changing requirements of the city and its citizens, anticipating the scenario which may emerge in the future.
(To be continued)
