Motorists were seen arguing with police personnel when they were diverted as per the new traffic plan, which was introduced by the police in day time in between 11am to 5pm, on Thursday.
Earlier, they were imposing the plan in between 6pm to 8pm. Now police has decided to enforce the new plan in between 8am to 8pm from Friday. A motorist who was denied by the police to take turn at Clock Tower for going to Chakrata Road said, "I have made two rounds from Clock Tower to Astley Hall via crossing Darshanlal Chowk, but failed to get the route of Chakrata Road."
Due to lack of awareness about new traffic plan, large number of motorists was seen making two or three rounds by following the new routes from Clock Tower to Astley Hall, Kanak Chowk, landsdown, Darshanlala Chowk and then Clock Tower before reaching their respective destinations.
They were easily seen arguing and putting pressure on the police to allow them shortcut route to reach their destination without delay, while constables and police officers were seen adamant to implement the new traffic plan on these routes. In the first day of implementation of new traffic plan during day time, road users including motorists or pedestrians faced traffic congestions on these routes.
Motorists had to travel around a kilometer extra to reach their destination. Pedestrians were also seen waiting at Darshanlal Chowk, landsdown for few hours to catch Vikram or city bus for going to Sahsatradhara, Raipur and EC Road. After knowing about new traffic plan, pedestrians had to walk around a kilometer to follow the new route from where they could get bus for going to their destination.
Police have not made any plan for pedestrians to cross the road when large number of vehicles coming on the routes from one side in both the roads i.e. up and down. Police were seen advising the pedestrians to wait at crossings before crossing the road. After making several rounds of these routes, it has been observed road users arguing with constables about imposition of new traffic plan in the State capital.
Daily commuters, who use public transport, had to face inconvenience to catch buses or Vikram on these routes. Moreover, district police had deployed adequate police force on various routes to implement the new traffic plan from Clock Tower to Darshanlal Chowk, Tehsil Chowk and other places in the city. At noon, Dehradun SSP Kewal Khurana, SP Traffic Pradeep Kumar Rai, SP City Navneet Singh Bhullar, SP Rural, several inspectors and sub-inspectors, dozens of constables were seen busy to ensure smooth flow of traffic at clock tower.
Khurana said, "We made all arrangements for implementing new traffic plan from 11 am to 5 pm in the city on Thursday. “Police personnel were deployed adequately at various routes in the city for resolving the traffic congestion and informing the people about new traffic plan. We have successfully implemented this plan on these routes on Thursday and this plan will be implemented between 8 am and 8 pm from Friday."