Editorial|All roads jammed

The problem of traffic jams is on a upward trend. We need desperately wider roads, better management of traffic movement, and more parking lots. But the ground situation is exactly the opposite.

We have more vehicles pouring onto our road surface every day, as new registrations are done. Then we have horrible traffic jams on our busy roads every day, particularly on peak hours.

   

What is more disturbing is that the problem is not confined to just the capital cities of J&K, Srinagar and Jammu. This has now taken over all the major town headquarters, and even the main roads leading to districts.

The reports from various districts suggest that the market places are too congested with the traffic and this has affected not just the movement of vehicles and pedestrians, but has badly affected the commercial activities. Up until yesterday our district headquarters were considered as free from such problems, but now it is no more so.

All the big markets are complaining of this problem and it is taking a proportion that can only be called chaotic. What needs to be done needs to be done soon because the problem of mounting vehicles is not going to go. We need a comprehensive policy to ensure that there are no traffic jams.

For this, we need not emphasise only on the road width and new roads. Even on the existing infrastructure things can be managed better. One, educate people about how to properly drive, especially on peak hours. We have usually seen that some reckless people try to overtake, and thus drive out of their lane.

This causes havoc as the traffic moving from the other side gets blocked. Once this happens it leads to a horrible jam. If only people stick to lane driving, most of the jams can be avoided.

The authorities need to impose heavy penalty on those who violate this rule. Second, some decent parking spaces can be established to save the markets from becoming haphazard parking places.

Among a slew of measures that need to be taken if only these two are ensured in the beginning, much of the problem can be solved.

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