Traffic snarls dot Khalini-New Shimla stretch

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 7

Despite having been developed as a modern colony, which was meant to have all civic amenities, the New Shimla area of the town is one of the worst planned with narrow winding roads and complete absence of parking zones, resulting in frequent traffic jams.

The presence of commercial establishments like schools, shops and banks in non-designated areas has resulted in vehicles being parked along roads, obstructing the movement of vehicles in New Shimla, Khalini and Vikasnagar. There are traffic jams during office and school hours.

Despite a sizeable population of the town residing in Khalini-New Shimla and Vikasnagar, there is no major parking, where residents can park their vehicles.

The four sectors of New Shimla lack parking zones as the designated sites for parks, open spaces and parking at many places have been converted into plots to accommodate more people. Many houses in New Shimla have turned garage or parking lots into commercial areas.

The narrow roads, despite such a huge population residing here, reflect poor planning and complete lack of vision. Traffic jams are a common sight as people park vehicles on roads outside banks, schools and hospitals, obstructing traffic. The presence of hardware shops in Sector I, New Shimla, where loading and unloading go on throughout the day, is another bottleneck.

A taxi stand and auto workshops on the Khalini-New Shimla-Vikasnagar road adds to congestion in the absence of any check. One can see trucks parked in the area with inadequate space.

Vehicle are parked on both sides of the road between New Shimla and Vikasnagar.

The situation at Khalini Chowk, which witnesses heavy rush of vehicles is no better. The presence of haphazardly vehicles along the road is the biggest problem. “I get late for office every day as there are traffic jams and the buses also arrive late,” said Rekha, who works at the DC office.

“It was almost 10 years ago that three sites had been identified in and around Khalini to create parking sites, but the proposal remains on paper only,” said Goswami, a shopkeeper in Khalini.

“In hills, there is a problem of space so encroachments on roads should not be allowed and checked when they are happening, and not when they have already come up,” said Anil Kumar, employed with the Electricity Department.

Narrow roads, less parking space

• No parking slots in Khalini, New Shimla and Vikasnagar

• Despite being a new planned colony, roads in New Shimla are narrow

• Hardware shops, taxi stands and auto workshops add to congestion

• Vehicle parked on both sides of the road