Traffic jams irk tourists, residents in Palampur

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, June 24

With tourist season at its peak, the traffic situation in Palampur and its satellite areas has gone from bad to worse. There is regular traffic jams on most of the roads here, particularly during the weekend when all hotels and resorts are packed to capacity.

Besides, the narrow Mandi-Pathankot national highway passing through the town has become a major traffic hazard as all heavy vehicles, including buses and trucks, are passing through the town, resulting in frequent traffic jams. Despite the fact the Holta Bypass is fully operational, the administration has not yet diverted the heavy traffic.

There has been manifold increase in the number of vehicles in the town and no efforts have been made to widen the existing roads. In the peak hours, there is always a traffic jam in many parts of the town. The flyover on the national highway is under construction for the past eight years and despite public pressure, the Public Works Department has failed to open it to traffic.

Vikas Dhiman, DSP, Palampur, said additional force had been deployed in the town to manage the traffic, but because of the tourist season, it had become difficult to do so.

The population of the town has gone up from 5,000 to 60,000. Many new housing colonies have come up in and outside the town, but the state government has failed to initiate any new plans for development.

The parking space in the town is scarce. In fact the old parking lots have been converted into new markets. It has become difficult for residents to park their vehicles. On many occasions, the vehicles are challaned and impounded by the police for wrong parking as the administration has not specified “no parking zones” in the town.

The construction for the proposed multi-storey parking lot is hanging fire since 2007. Its foundation stone was laid twice by former Chief Ministers Prem Kumar Dhumal and Virbhadhra Singh.