Three months on, one-way traffic rule flops in Nurpur

Nurpur, September 2

Following public demand, the Kangra district administration had notified a one-way traffic rule in Nurpur town in November last year. The same had been strictly enforced on December 1, 2023. After its enforcement, commuters and local residents had heaved a sigh of relief from the problem of regular traffic jams in the markets. But the one-way traffic plan — which was enforced with immense publicity — has flopped just after three-and-a-half months, immediately after the Model Code of Conduct for the recent Lok Sabha elections had come into force on March 16.

The police personnel deployed at entry and exit points of the town were shifted for poll duties. But their duties to enforce the one-way traffic rule were not restored even after the completion of the election process and declaration of results. Just after shifting the police deployment, the traffic offenders stopped following the rules. The roadside idle parking of two-wheelers and light vehicles has also added to visitors’ woes, especially during peak hours.

In order to ensure smooth traffic movement in the town, the administration in collaboration with the police and local municipal council had enforced this one-way traffic plan. The lack of coordination between local administration, MC and police is being considered as a major cause for the failure of implementation of the traffic plan. The MC didn’t identify spots for the parking of two-wheelers at different locations alongside markets.

As per information, Kangra deputy commissioner-cum-district magistrate had issued a notification for a new traffic plan by exercising the powers vested under Section 113 of the Motor Vehicles Act. As per the plan, the entry of four-wheelers had been allowed from the Chogan side, whereas exit was permitted from the Niazpur and Court Road ends. Vehicles coming from the Housing Board Colony area were allowed to exit from the Chogan side. Under the one-way traffic plan, the main market, Chogan market and Niazpur market had been declared as no-parking zones. Mini-Secretariat parking space, municipal council parking in Ward 4, Housing Board Colony parking, a parking complex near Hanuman temple, court complex and Bachat Bhawan areas had been notified as parking zones. In order to ensure smooth movement of four-wheelers, the roadside parking of two-wheelers was also restricted.

Earlier, in May 2015, the local administration had installed two automatic barricades on the exit points of the town to enforce the one-way traffic plan. Over Rs 1.70 lakh was spent on installation of these barricades, which were set up with financial assistance from the MC. However, the barricades have been gathering dust for last several years. The police canopies built along with the barricades to control traffic have turned into garbage dumps.

In this connection, Nurpur SP Ashok Ratan said the police district had inadequate strength of police force. The deployment of police personnel on interstate border checkpoints had also created scarcity. He admitted that Nurpur had no traffic police force so far to regulate traffic at identified locations.