To ease the recurring problem of traffic jams, which brings inconvenience for the people of Dehrdun, traffic police have come up with short-term, mid-term and long-term plans. They have sent a detailed report on the matter to the police headquarters (PHQ), seeking for approval. The approval is an imperative, they say, as the mid-term and the long-terms plans they have envisaged can be implemented only with the stat government’s assistance. However, sources say that the plans being executed on experimental basis on the city roads are not yielding the positive results as desired.
The short- term plan is emphasizing on the traffic management on Ballupur-Madhuban-Rispana bridge. The plan seeks to introduce one- way system in and around several schools, especially St Joseph Academy, Convent of Jesus & Merry and Brightland School. It is learnt that they are all set to impose ban on parking on both sides of EC Road leading to Aaraghar. It is also learnt that they are considering to enforce odd and even formula, something that means that one can park vehicles on one side of the road on odd dates and on the other side on even dates. They have decided to erect barricades or dividers aside from deploying police force to regulate the traffic especially during the time when the students go to the schools and again the time when they come out of the schools. All the schools must open their grounds to facilitate the parents to park their vehicles for dropping and picking up their wards. This aside, the shopkeepers trading on Cross Road and Curzon Road should be stopped from parking their vehicles randomly on the side of the roads. Besides, one- way traffic system would be enforced on EC Road, Subhash Road and Curzon Road during the time the students reach and leave the schools.
Talking to The Pioneer, SP Traffic Dhirendra Gunjyal said that whenever people get stuck in traffic jams they blame it on the traffic police. “But they do not care about the norms while parking their vehicles on the roads. They are accustomed to parking their vehicles on the roads while doing shopping. They think it their right to park vehicles at places of their choosing. This is bad,” he added.
The mid- term plan consists of modernization , something about which they have written to the National Highway Authority and the departments like PWD and MDDA. It is learnt that as per the plan, they are set to install signal system as well as automated signal system on the roads of Dehradun so as to ensure that those violating the signal are slapped with the penalties electronically. Some nullahs would be covered up to pave way for widening roads. It is learnt that Raipur-Chunna Bhatt Road would be widened and divider would be installed on EC Road. MDDA will be asked to penalise the shopkeepers or the owners of the malls who have not been using their basements for parking. As per the rough estimate, over three lakh vehicles come up on the roads in Dehradun daily while the figure touches five lakh during peak season i.e. summer and winter seasons.
The long- term plan as envisaged would be executed over five to seven years. The traffic department has asked PHQ to persuade the state government to shift railway station and roadside shops to other places in view of the fact that they are causing traffic jams. The Dat Kali tunnel is to be widened as per the plan. Besides, construction of an alternate route would be expedited. They also have proposed to build Bhandaribag railway over-bridge (ROB) to ease traffic snarls.
The traffic department thinks that the state government should introduce metro rail or construct elevated parking to rid the city of the recurrent problem of traffic snarls.
Gunjyal further said that things turn a bit difficult when the people do not cooperate. “In Mussoorie, for instance, when we introduced the one- way system the business community raised hue and cry, alleging that police were harassing the people by enforcing the one -way system,” he said.
“The government-run Doon Medical College has no space for parking, something which is causing traffic hazards. We have appealed to the state government to shift colleges, schools and other establishments in less congested areas . Besides, we are concerned over the city roads being constructed by some contractors without any role of the urban planner and road designers, a practice which must stop ,” said Gunjyal.