‘No tolerance road’ initiative shows positive impact, no more traffic jams

The city police initiative of declaring eight city roads as ‘no tolerance zones’ has started yielding positive results. Traffic on these roads is now smooth and commuters are having an uninterrupted ride.

Brainchild of Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma, two days ago, he, along with DCP Parminder Singh Bhandal, ACP (Traffic) Jatin Bansal and other officials of traffic police had visited these roads and after holding meeting with shopkeepers and even the roadside vendors had issued them directions to ensure they would not resort to encroachments on roads.

The roads declared ‘no tolerance roads’ are Field Ganj Road from Jagraon bridge to Civil Hospital (both way), Rahon Road, Jodhewal Chowk to Jagirpur Road cut, Bhamian Road from New Onkar Vihar cut to Bhamian Colony cut, Chandigarh Road from Government High School, Mundian cut, to 33-ft road vegetable market stretch, Chimney Road, canal bridge, Pakhowal, to indoor stadium (both way), Atam Park to Libra cut, Dugri road (both way) and Dandi Swami Chowk to DMC Hospital cut.

This correspondent, along with the lensman visited the road from Dandi Swami Chowk to DMC cut, Field Ganj Road and even Ghumar Mandi Road, which is also to be added in ‘no tolerance road’ category soon, and noticed smooth movement of traffic. No traffic jam was found as used to be in earlier days. Especially on Sunday, traffic would always go haywire on Ghumar Mandi Road, reason encroachments by shopkeepers, roadside vendors and wrong parking.

Field Ganj Road, which otherwise used to witness traffic jams and even ambulances heading to Civil Hospital used to get stuck in the traffic. Surprisingly on every Sunday, this road used to be a mess, but today the road was clear for smooth traffic movement. Shopkeepers did not extend their shops on road and none put any goods on the roads as they used to. Even the roadside vendors (including rehriwalas), which were the reasons of main traffic hindrance were seen setting up their vends behind the yellow line.

Same was the situation on Dandi Swami Chowk to DMC cut, where fruit sellers used to put their vends almost on the road, leading to major traffic jams. Even ambulances leading to DMC hospital would often get stuck in the traffic jam.

The Commissioner said that the police initiative was showing good results and people, including shopkeepers, are sending feedback to police and expressing happiness over the initiative. “Shopkeepers are now openly accepting that earlier due to traffic bottlenecks on roads their customers used to face huge inconvenience, but with police effort, footfall of clients have increased,” he added.

Bhandal said after declaring no tolerance roads, 40 PCR motorcycles and 10 new emergency response vehicles had been deployed in the city to strengthen the city’s traffic management system. These vehicles were patrolling city’s busiest roads and on finding a jam, they immediately man traffic and remove any encroachment and challan the offender.