Vehicle influx up, but ‘1-min plan’ keeps traffic streamlined in Shimla
Sameer Singh
Shimla, January 3
Even as there has been marked increase in number of tourist vehicles entering the capital city this winter season, effective traffic management by the police has kept the city roads de-congested even during peak tourist season. The number of vehicles entering Shimla city this winter season has seen a marked increase in 2023 year as compared to the year 2022. But despite that traffic congestion on city roads was less as compared to past years.
Employing of advanced traffic management methods by the district police department have not only reduced traffic congestion on city roads but also resulted in sharp decrease in road accidents and fatalities in 2023.
The data procured from the district police department revealed that there has been 23 per cent increase in number of vehicles entering and exiting the city in 2023 as compared to 2022.
As per the police department data, as many as 1,71,683 vehicles entered and exited Shimla from Shoghi barrier (to and fro Solan side) in 2023 during the winter season (December 1 to December 31) as compared to 1,32,296 vehicles that entered and left the city in 2022 during the same period thereby former registering an increase of approximately 23 per cent.
To manage and regulate the traffic movement in a smooth manner, the district police activated one-minute-plan during the tourist season as part of which tourist vehicles entering the city were halted at Shoghi barrier (coming from Solan side to Shimla) for few minutes and then released. This essentially, unlike previous years, prevented the city from getting choked. Considering the increased inflow of tourists around this time of the year, the police managed to regulate traffic well.
Shimla Superintendent of Police, Sanjeev Gandhi said: “One-minute plan is based on a mathematical calculations based on time and space and geographical conditions of the hill city. Had tourist vehicles not been halted at the Shoghi barrier, we would have ended up choking the city with vehicles during Christmas and New Year celebrations. Tourists coming from different parts of the country and even local residents, who come out to celebrate, do not want to be stuck amid chaos. So employing the ‘one-minute traffic plan’, which is primarily based on principle linear equation, coupled with round-the-clock CCTV monitoring have worked well in regulating traffic on city roads.”
Shimla city has limited capacity to carry heavy vehicular flow. The city has its own vehicle load of 60,000 vehicles, public transport has more than 1,350 routes, approximately 65,000 students from KG to PhD level commute on the roads, all major health facilities are situated in the capital city and all main offices of almost all departments are also located in the capital.
23% increase in vehicle rush in Shimla
- Data revealed that there has been a 23-per cent increase in the number of vehicles entering and exiting the city in 2023 as compared to 2022 in this winter season
- To manage and regulate the traffic movement in a smooth manner, the district police activated a ‘one-minute plan’ during the peak tourist season
- As part of this plan, tourist vehicles entering the city were halted at the Shoghi barrier (coming from Solan side) for some time and then released
