Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)
Kundapur, Apr 22: The town and surrounding areas have been reeling under traffic snarls since sometime. The problem of excessive vehicular density and traffic jam has been acute since the last three to four days. These problems have been impacting vehicle riders, pedestrians and users of public transport alike. The police department here has swiftly acted to restore order to traffic by making efforts to handle the problem in a systematic way.
On Thursday April 21, at around 9.30 am, the deputy superintendent of police, accompanied by police circle inspector, Diwakar P M and traffic station personnel, moved around Basrur Moorukai area where the problem is chronic, and set up barricades, and boards giving traffic instructions. The police officials, by continuously working for four hours to manage traffic, came in for lavish praise by the general public.
Basrur Moorukai has been the hub of most traffic problems in the town, as this is the spot where the junction connecting state highway and national highway is located. Traffic density is high here. Since the last about two weeks, national highway widening work has been going on here in a haphazard manner. This has shrunk the available width of state and national highways.
On Thursday morning, the policemen converted the traffic into one-way by placing a barricade a little distance away from the national highway on state highway. Arrangements were also made for vehicles coming from the direction of Siddapur, Basrur, Kandlur etc by state highway to move to the left on national highway towards Koteshwar for a little distance before taking a U-turn and move towards the town. The officials have also given information about their plans to post traffic constables at spots where traffic problem is found to be grave.
Even as the police officials worked hard to restore order to traffic chaos on Thursday, there was a rush of vehicles including tourist buses and other vehicles because of marriage and other auspicious functions. As a large number of programmes have been lined up for Friday too, chances of vehicular density remaining high on Friday are bright.
Many of the vehicle users are livid at the national highway contractors who have been playing with their lives by conducting half-hearted road works at various places around the town. The people have urged the concerned to act fast and conduct the remaining works on a war footing, as rainy season which is is approaching fast is sure to worsen the situation that is already grim.