Commuters spared during Prez visit

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 16

For a change, the district administration and the Police Department managed the traffic situation today well and commuters did not face major bottlenecks or traffic jams during the two-hour high-profile visit of the President, Ram Nath Kovind, to the holy city.

However, a moot question arises from this: Can the administration not manage the traffic in the city this way always? The encroachments were removed from the route from where the President’s cavalcade passed. No illegal parking of vehicles was allowed and no push carts or ‘rehris’ selling fruits and vegetables were allowed to park on the route.

Residents feel that it is a lack of will on the part of the district administration and civic authorities besides constant political interference, which has defaced and disfigured the holy city despite the fact that it has wide roads. Roads were further widened for the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project during the previous SAD-BJP government rule, but the problem of traffic congestion remained the same.

“Does the city need VVIPs’ visits on a regular basis to get rid of the problem of encroachments and illegal parking,” questions a resident, Ashwani Arora. The entire stretch of Court Road was free of encroachments where vehicles under repair can be seen daily. Hotels and scan centres on the road though have space for parking, it is hardly used, as people prefer to park their vehicles on roads.

“I was surprised to see such wide roads, as I could not notice them due to rampant encroachments by shopkeepers and fruit and vegetable vendors,” said Gurinder Singh who originally hails from Chandigarh and now works in a private firm here. “I think had there been a strong will on the part of the district administration and the civic authorities, the holy city could have turned into a beautiful and modern city,” he added.

The Police Department, too, remained on its toes throughout the day while a large number of policemen was deputed on the route of the President. The policemen asked the shopkeepers to operate from within their limits. They did not allow any workshop to repair vehicles on Court Road besides parking of vehicles was also prohibited.

Despite the fact that a major part of the Civil Lines area remained free of congestion, traffic chaos was witnessed in the walled city area. As Bhandari Bridge was closed to traffic and the traffic coming from the Chheharta side was diverted from Rego Bridge near Chief Khalsa Dewan, heavy traffic congestion was witnessed at Rego Bridge, as it is not wide enough to accommodate the heavy flow of traffic.

At several chowks in the walled city, residents fumed that even after the cavalcade of the President passed, the traffic was stopped for around 15 minutes due to security reasons. They residents stated that the administration must keep in mind the inconvenience caused to the general public and chalk out special plans of walled city traffic.

Top security arrangements

Top security arrangements were in place during President Ram Nath Kovind’s visit to the holy city. Additional police forces were requisitioned from neighbouring police districts while SWAT, the Rapid Action Force, Punjab Armed Police teams were also put on duty throughout the day. Armed cops were deputed on high-rise buildings on the route as a security measure.