Traffic snarls slow down Palampur’s pace, key parking project hangs fire

Palampur, August 25

Even as the number of vehicles has increased manifold in Palampur town over the years, no effort has been made to widen the existing roads. In the peak hours, traffic jams are a routine in many parts, particularly in Ghuggar, Plaza market and on Gurdwara road. According to official sources, nearly 4,000 vehicles are added to the town every month.

With so many vehicles around, the parking space is squeezing fast, causing inconvenience to people. At present, there is a provision for the parking of only 50 vehicles in the town. A multi-storey parking project has been hanging fire for the past 10 years. Despite repeated assurances by the authorities concerned, no headway has been made in the project. The foundation stone for the parking project was laid by two Chief Ministers. While Prem Kumar Dhumal laid the stone in 2009, Virbhadra Singh did the honours in 2015. Due to the lack of ample parking, motorists have no alternative but to park their vehicles along roads declared no-parking zones by the traffic police.

During weekends, a large number of tourists visit Palampur, Baijnath and Gopalpur. Since there is no notified parking space, they have to park their vehicles on the roadside. Rarely a traffic constable is seen in the satellite areas of the town to regulate the traffic. Ghuggar, Santoshi Mata Mandir, Plaza market are the worst-affected areas where traffic jam is a norm. There are more than two-dozen banks in the town that do not have parking areas. Bank customers have to park along the road, which is not allowed by the police.

Traffic snarl-ups are common on the narrow Mandi-Pathankot National Highway that passes through the town. A police official says the administration is concerned over the situation, but haphazard parking has made the matters worse. He says over 10 traffic constables have been deputed in the town to regulate traffic, still the situation is not satisfactory.