Shimla: Shimla, the capital city of Shimla, has recently initiated a campaign to alleviate congestion on its roads by cracking down on incorrectly parked vehicles. On the first day of this effort, the police towed away a total of 550 vehicles in the Kachi Ghati and ISBT areas. The Superintendent of Police (SP), Sanjeev Gandhi, clarified that prior warnings had been issued to individuals who carelessly parked their vehicles on roadsides. In addition to removing the wrongly parked vehicles, the police also issued challans (tickets) to the violators.
However, due to limited space, the authorities are facing challenges in storing the impounded vehicles. Therefore, they are making efforts to identify the owners of these vehicles and inform them about the location where their vehicles were wrongly parked. Unclaimed or abandoned vehicles will be auctioned off in the future.
The SP announced that the drive would continue for an additional month, targeting vehicles that are incorrectly parked in the Victory Tunnel, Sanjauli, and Dhalli areas. Violators will be issued challans as a means of enforcing parking regulations.
Shimla has experienced a significant influx of tourists, with over 25,000 vehicles arriving in the past two days alone. To improve traffic flow in the city, the Shimla police have implemented various measures. Last month, they introduced a one-minute traffic plan, identifying 10 bottlenecks or areas prone to congestion. Vehicles are required to stop at these points for 40 seconds before being allowed to proceed for the remaining 20 seconds. This strategy has successfully alleviated traffic congestion on the city's roads to a considerable extent.
The practice of haphazard parking along the city roads has made driving on interior roads in Shimla a hassle, with vehicles parked on both sides of the roads. The newly elected councillors of the Shimla Municipal Corporation should develop a concrete plan to curb this practice and facilitate a smooth flow of traffic. Suchet Attri, a resident of Shimla, emphasizes the need for effective measures to address this issue.
Meanwhile, the construction of the new Sanjauli-Dhalli tunnel has progressed quickly, but the remaining work is taking time. The new tunnel needs to be made functional as soon as possible, as the existing one-way tunnel is insufficient to accommodate the increasing traffic on this stretch. Davinder, a resident of Sanjauli, urges the authorities to expedite the completion of the new tunnel.
In Kasauli, vehicles compete for space on narrow roads, leaving little room for pedestrians. As a result, local residents are compelled to stay indoors on weekends. Santosh, a resident of Kasauli, calls on the administration to address this problem by widening the roads and improving the infrastructure.
Addressing parking issues, improving traffic management, and expanding road infrastructure are crucial steps to mitigate congestion and enhance mobility in Shimla and its surrounding areas. The cooperation of local authorities, residents, and tourists will be instrumental in achieving these goals and ensuring a smoother transportation experience for all.
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