Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand, which is also known as an educational hub across the country was once known for its greenery and serenity. But with the passage of time, unplanned urbanisation and rising population has negatively affected the environment of the city, say the old residents of Doon where traffic congestion has become a routine feature. Though improved transportation facilities have made commutation convenient for the public, anomalies in urban infrastructure continue to cause problems in the city.
Ex-serviceman BS Rawat, who has been living in Dehradun for 40 years, said that in the past bullock carts and horse drawn tongas along with a few two-wheelers and cars where the only means of transportation used here. Businessman Ramesh Chandra said that the transport system in Dehradun has changed drastically over the years.
About three decades ago, most people used to travel on foot, tongas and bullock carts and a limited number of private vehicles and city buses. The drastic rise in vehicle numbers and public transport vehicles has made commutation easier, but it is also exerting a detrimental effect. The clean air and serenity for which the city was once famous have now literally become a thing of the past, he added.
Former Indian Statistical Services officer Pankaj Mehta, who has been residing in Dehradun since 1968, has seen the city go through various phases.
The conditions that are prevailing today are radically different from the past. People in the earlier times used to cover long distances on foot and had to face difficulties while commuting from one place to another while also spending much time on this. Improved transportation has changed this scenario positively but has also had some ill-effects.
Senior citizen AK Rao said that in the past there were only a few vehicles of the limited brands available in the past in the city. However, the number of vehicles has increased so drastically that apart from facilitating convenience for the people, it has also created some problems. Increasing number of vehicles and narrow city roads are among the factors responsible for chronic traffic congestion in various parts of the State capital.
The authorities claim to be taking steps to redress this problem, but the situation appears to be far from improving at present.