IMPHAL, January 13: The Manipur Cycle Club in a release claimed that the State government has reduced the observation of Road Safety Week into an annual ritual, lacking in any serious intent to check the growing chaos on the roads particularly in the capital Imphal.
It said MCC was invited by the Transport department to take part in the 27th Road Safety Week 2016 with the Theme: Time for Action. In this regard, MCC organised a ‘Cyclothon’ where cyclists go around Imphal city to spread awareness on cycling and safety.
It pointed out that even during the event, there seems to be no safety on the roads where pedestrians can walk without the fear of being knocked down by fast moving vehicles.
The current road and street designs, the policy and the institutions, and the manner in which transport is viewed, all are in favor of motor vehicles and there is an urgent need to democratise the streets, it added.
It said the walking space along the roads has narrowed down with several obstacles on the footpath making walking and crossings roads highly dangerous.
The department has done little to improve the walking space but instead has turned a blind eye to the ever increasing encroachments by vehicles as parking space, it said.
On the recent curbing of parking in Paona keithel and Thangal keithel, the statement maintained that the new regulation has created unprecedented confusion along the stretch from Keishampat to Khoyathong instead of easing traffic. It only exposes the myopic vision of the government in handling this issue. A more comprehensive plan is the need for the city, it added.
It claimed that cyclists and pedestrians will feel safe only when separate lanes are provided. MCC seeks the department to take pro-active steps in bringing policy change as well as implementation of the much needed push for Non-Motorised Transport, NMT as central to the city’s mobility plan, it said.