Guwahati City Parallel parking disturbs smooth plying of vehicles

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, July 29: From time to time, various measures have been stepped up to tackle traffic congestion in and around Guwahati city by the Traffic Police, Guwahati. However, most of the measures they initiated have resulted in intensifying the trouble instead of reducing the same. One of such measures was the introduction of parallel parking which has been appearing as challenge to the smooth plying of the city vehicles; more particularly, it has reduced the space for the city buses.

Notably, there are 3600 roads including by-lanes in and around Guwahati city. These roads accommodate approximately one lakh plying vehicles a day. Hence, these one lakh vehicles are forced to negotiate a space through the parallel parking zone. Visibly, this has resulted in unprecedented delay in getting to the destinations.

Significantly, Guwahati city is home to a number of flyovers. The objective behind the construction of so many flyovers was to reduce the traffic congestion. Keeping the same objective in mind, more flyovers are in the pipeline. However, the city is yet to get released from its usual jamming. The phenomenon turned quite hazardous after the ban of vehicular parking below Ganeshguri flyover following the 2008 serials blasts.

Presently, introduction of fresh no parking zone in several pockets of the city has added fuel to the fire. Although a source in the Traffic Police department termed the parallel parking a temporary arrangement, lack of manpower as well as other resources of the force is a pointer to the fact that there is no immediate solution in hand.

According to the Commissioner, Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), reopening of parking space below Ganeshguri flyover will accommodate 90 four wheelers and more than 280 two wheelers. Similarly, Bhangagarh flyover accommodates 100 four wheelers and 300 two wheelers while Ulubari flyover accommodates 70 four wheelers and 230 two wheelers. The Sixmile flyover can accommodate 150 four wheelers and 450 two wheelers.