Unlocking Traffic While Improving Environment

This former academic has some interesting ideas on promoting "old fashioned ways" to a healthy body and clean air

(Mr. Abdul Gani Bhat, 65, was born in Srinagar. He attended Government Primary School in Natipora and S. P. School in Srinagar. He earned his college degree in B. Comm from the University of Jammu and Kashmir, studying in colleges both in Jammu and Srinagar, and standing first in both colleges in the first as well as in the final year. He received his B.Ed. degree from the YMCA College, Madras/Chennai, and M.Ed. degree from the Government College of Physical Education, Patiala, where he was a gold medalist for securing the first position. He subsequently received degrees from Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education, Gwalior, for M.Phil. Degree, Kashmir University for Master of Commerce Degree, National Institute of Sports, Banglore, for NIS Diploma, and National institute for Environment Education, Ahmadabad, Gujarat, for Environment Education. Mr. Bhat is a retired professor, and President of the People's Union for Justice with passion for fostering democratic values and seeking justice for hapless and down trodden. His leisure activities are listening to soft music, gardening, and outing.)

Stuck in a jam

For the last several months the scene of traffic jams on the roads of Srinagar City has become a common sight. Bottle necks on roads remain so much packed and filled with vehicles that it is difficult even for the pedestrians to worm their way through, not to talk of the problems of cyclists. The root cause is the mad and wholesale purchasing of cars by people, whether they need it or not, simply as a status symbol. The problem has been aggravated by the banks who offer consumer loans on easy terms for purchasing cars. And the race is going on. On top of all this is the ever increasing eagerness shown by the Registering Authority for registering private cars etc. Without considering the menace it is creating on the city roads, they unhesitatingly go ahead with the process Traffic mismanaged is an added factor in the phenomenon.

I suppose there are standing orders from Traffic Department that public transport vehicles should not carry over loads. But overloading has become the order of the day and there is no check to it.

People have also become lazy. They would like to wait for hours together for a bus than to walk the distance of a mile or two, or would like to be in traffic jam in their cars for hours together instead of walking, cycling or using public transport. Pollution has increased and the people's health, fitness and wellbeing have got greatly affected.

The authorities have never pondered over the healthy and pollution free cycle transport, and the problems being faced by cyclists on roads. There is no separate lane for them and at occasions they have to carry their cycles on shoulders for lack of space, which is often occupied by automobiles.

What is the solution?

1. The wholesale and unbridled registration of private cars, wagons etc should be stopped forthwith. Rather registration of all such private transport vehicles in the City of Srinagar should be banned for some time.

2. Plying bicycles should be encouraged by providing incentives, subsidies and encouragements and special treatment from the traffic police personnel. Dealers should be encouraged and offered incentives by way of subsidies etc. for procuring best quality and light paddle bicycles from country and foreign markets. Cycle repairing shops should be set up at shorter distances, and they should be encouraged to render prompt and cheap service to the bicycle paddlers. Cycles should be allowed entry to all Government office premises, and there should be parking facilities provided at important stations at nominal rates. Cycle dealers should also be encouraged to introduce used exchange schemes for used cycles. There should be separate cycle tracks earmarked on both side of the road, which should be allowed to be used exclusively by cycle paddlers

3. Public transport system should be improved. The practice of receiving Hafta by traffic people from mini bus drivers and others should get stopped forthwith. The traffic squad should be scrupulously honest and fair in implementing traffic rules not by coercive methods but by persuasive methods. Traffic law should prevail and punitive actions should become a rarity and not a rule.

4. Unabashed use of government cars etc. by government officials should be checked and stopped forthwith. Only those officers should be allowed to use government cars for whom it is extremely necessary. There should be proper record of traveling by such officers, irrespective of their ranks, while using government vehicles.

5. Amy and other para-military transport vehicles need also to be regulated properly so that their convoys do not pass through the city at peak hours.

These and other steps will not only end traffic jams and congestions, but will save time, money and energy of people and will make them have a sigh of relief. These will also minimize the levels of pollution in the air, and above all will improve the health and general well being of the people. Public transport system should be improved.

The practice of receiving Hafta by traffic people from mini bus drivers and others should get stopped forthwith. The traffic squared should be scrupulously honest and fair in implementing traffic rules not by coercive methods but by persuasive methods, and punitive actions should become a rarity and not a rule.

Unabashed use of government cars etc. by government officers should be checked and stopped forthwith. Only those officers should be allowed to use government cars for whom it is extremely necessary. There should be proper record of traveling by such officers, irrespective of their ranks, while using government vehicles.

These and other steps will not only end traffic jams and congestions, but will save time, money and energy of people. These will also minimize the levels of pollution in the air, and above all will improve the health and general wellbeing of the people, especially by walking and cycling.