Unscheduled bus halts outside bus stand lead to traffic snarls

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 21

Commuters as well as pedestrians are a harried lot due to frequent traffic snarls outside the city bus stand. State-run and private buses continue to halt there to pick up and drop passengers at the traffic light point. With mismanagement of traffic outside the bus stand, the area witnesses traffic jams on a number of occasions.

The issue has also been highlighted in these columns in the past. It was also highlighted that scores of roadside vends and notary stalls are one of the reasons for traffic snarls near the traffic light point outside the bus stand. Acting on the report, encroachments were removed from the roadside earlier this year. Despite that, the issue of traffic snarls and halting of buses at the traffic light point has been persisting since then.

Traffic policemen deployed at the traffic light point can be seen making failed attempts to deter bus drivers from halting there. It seems that lack of will or strictness on the part of the authorities has led to traffic jams.

During a random visit to the area, it was found that a large number of passengers were waiting for buses at the traffic light point. A traffic policeman, requesting anonymity, said almost every bus halted at the traffic light point outside the bus stand to pick up and drop passengers, resulting in jams. With many vehicles in tow, managing traffic becomes a really difficult task for them, he added.

“We always ask drivers not to halt buses at the traffic light point, but they do not follow the instructions. Around two years ago, a senior official of the Traffic Police had launched a crackdown on operators whose buses used to park or halt at the traffic light point. After a number of challans were issued to the violators, the practice was stopped. But once the officer was transferred, things were back to the square one,” the traffic policeman said.

A bus operator said if a large number of passengers stood at the traffic light point, they had no choice but to halt buses there as they could not afford to lose passengers. He said it was for the authorities to take necessary action to ensure that passengers stand and wait at the designated stops. He added that blaming them would not resolve the problem anyway.

Traffic policeman said passengers were equally responsible who did not want to enter the bus stand to board a bus. DSP GS Romana said, “We have given directions to issue challans to the operators whose buses halt at the traffic light point to pick up and drop passengers. We will adopt a strict approach now to discourage the practice and ensure smooth flow of traffic and easy movement of pedestrians on the road.”