No end to traffic jams in Kangra

Ashok Raina

Kangra, October 4

Traffic chaos, wrong parking and absence of traffic police personnel have become a bane of Kangra.

Lakhs of pilgrims, foreign and domestic tourists visit the place throughout the year. More than 2,600 private and government buses enter the town daily and over 4,500 vehicles ply here. The Dharamsala road passing through the town connecting the bus stand with the main town witnesses frequent traffic jams.

The private buses wait for passengers at the exit point of the bus stand, adding to the chaos. Kangra SDM Shashi Pal Negi had recently challaned 15 drivers for wrong parking on the Dharamsala road.

In the absence of police personnel, tourists regulate traffic on their own. Arun Kumar from Punjab, who was stuck in a traffic jam with his family, said no official was present at the site to regulate traffic.

Govind Sharma from Haryana said the authorities should take some measures. “Traffic jams have become a routine affair here,” he added.

Traffic lights installed at Tehsil Chowk are non-functional. There are nine traffic police personnel to regulate the traffic, but on busy roads like Zamanabad, not even a single policeman can be seen.