IMPHAL, Aug 16 : As it remained quite busy and congested throughout the day, RIMS road was expanded at the expense of a huge amount of money. But the expanded road has brought little relief to commuters and the general public.
Taking serious note of the many inconveniences encountered by people while travelling along the road, specially who were taking patients to RIMS and other hospitals, RIMS Road was expanded during the second term of Chief Minister O Ibobi.
Lands were acquired from private individuals and groups and the road was expanded. Soon after the road construction was completed, a sizeable portion of the road was converted into parking lots and the Government raised no objection.
With the expanded portion of the road occupied by rows of vehicles, the road is as good as before it was expanded.
Rows and rows of vehicles, both four-wheelers and two-wheelers are parked along the road in front of private hospitals, diagnostic centres as well as private residences. But the Government has done nothing to check the unauthorised parking.
People going for emergency medical services are hindered severely by the rows of vehicles parked along the road which is further compounded by diesel autos which halt at any point of the road to pick up passengers or allow passengers to disembark.
With regard to The Sangai Express’ campaign on traffic management, one Moirangthem Rajen of Palace Compound said that diesel autos have virtually bombarded Imphal city paralysing the whole traffic management system.
He even suggested introduction of odd-even system as experimented in Delhi under which vehicles ending with odd registration numbers are allowed to ply on the city roads on one day followed by vehicles whose registration numbers end with even numbers the next day.
All Manipur School Students Transporters Association advisor L Priyokumar said that Khwairamband Keithel is chokingly congested on account of concentrating everything inside the city’s perimeter.
Starting from table fishes to construction materials, from garments to electronic gadgets, all consumer items are concentrated within the city’s limits. This is one major factor for the sheer congestion at Khwairamband. The Government need to come out with a systematic planning so that alternative markets are developed at suitable places, both in Imphal West and Imphal East, Priyokumar said. One Johnson of Hiyangthang underscored the importance of obeying traffic rules and signals in order to reduce congestion at Imphal city.
