With the problem of traffic congestion on the roads of the important cities in Haridwar, Derhadun, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar districts going from bad to worse, the State Police top brass would meet the officers of several departments soon, said the additional director general of police (law and order) Ashok Kumar on Friday.
He further said that the ordeal the commuters face on the roads of cities like Haridwar, Haldwani, Nainital, Rudrapur, Roorkee and Dehradun cannot be attributed to traffic mismanagement alone.
“There are several other factors which must be taken into account while firming up a comprehensive policy to tackle things on the roads. As per our study, the deplorable condition of the roads, poor road engineering and rampant encroachment of roads by the local traders are causing the traffic congestion. Unless the departments concerned cooperate things can hardly be improved. Hence, we have decided to convene a meeting where the officers of different departments concerned would sit with police to find ways to mitigate the on- the- road ordeal of the people,” he said.
He claimed that several steps have been taken in the recent days in the state capital to improve traffic situation. “later it would be extended to other parts of the state,” he said.
Kumar further said that with the school vehicles causing traffic bottlenecks on the roads, the police officers have been directed to meet the persons who represent the schools’ managements to sort out the issue. “We must make sure that the vehicles belonging to the schools are parked inside their premises,” he said. Referring to the road encroachment by the traders, he said that the drives are being launched at regular intervals to free the roads of the encroaching structures.
He further said that no parking zone boards have been installed at some places which have been officially marked as free parking zones at the behest of some contractors. “ As this is compounding the problem we are taking action against such contractors,” he said, adding that a free parking zone would be developed from Clock Tower to Jaswant Modern School.
He informed that in Dehradun city, 73 basement parking places have been identified out of which parking has been started at 34. “We are looking into why things have not started yet in the rest,” he said.
He said that police officers have been directed to seek cooperation from public works department in repairing roads near the under- construction flyover at Mohkampur. “Traffic pressure mounting in Jogiwala-Mohkampur area, we have decided to deploy police force. Besides, we are making adequate lighting arrangements at MDDA paid parking slot near Clock Tower,” Kumar added.