Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 04 2021: Lack of designated parking areas for vehicles and poor traffic management have resulted in frequent traffic congestion in Imphal City.
This has also kept the target of making Imphal a Smart City at bay.
Utilisation of roadsides along Kanglapark, PWD office, Babupara, Paona Bazar and MG Avenue etc.
as parking zones by individuals or agencies under Imphal Municipal Corporation has narrowed down the lanes available for traffic movements.
The stretch between 1st MR Ground and Post Office is also prone to traffic congestion due to unregulated parking on either side of the road by staffs of various Government offices in Babupara and frequent obstruction of flow of traffic by Traffic Control Police or Police for movement of VIPs or other Government officials without actually analysing the flow of the traffic.
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'Smart City a distant dream without proper traffic management'
Speaking to The Sangai Express, one Saikhom Ibotombi, a commuter in Babupara, said even though the Ministers and MLAs are claiming that VIP culture does not exist in the State, the ground realities tell otherwise.
Another commuter, Wangkhem Indrakumar sought attention of relevant Government authorities to look after IMC's way of giving licenses to private agencies to set up parking lots at various locations.
He also appealed to the Government to ensure that heavy trucks are not allowed inside City-limits during peak hours and designate special hours for their entry inside the city.
A Professor at Dhanamanjuri University, who does want to be named, said unoperational traffic lights, lack of Traffic Control Police manpower and VVIP or VIP centric traffic control approach are the serious obstacles in proper management of traffic.
He added that the Government has failed to implement the mechanisation of the traffic system even after utilising huge taxpayers money.
If implemented successfully, a fully mechanised traffic system will substantially reduce the traffic manpower requirement and do away with VVIP or VIP centric traffic management issues.
It will also be very efficient, he added.
The Professor added that the leaders of the State should lead by example in ensuring that traffic rules are followed to the tee but they often break the rules they framed.
Absence of an efficient traffic management will be a hurdle in the mission to make Imphal a 'Smart City', the Professor added.