The municipal corporation will soon be hiring a traffic consultant to untangle the traffic snarls that have become commonplace in the city. The appointment process has already been initiated.
The traffic consultant will oversee upgrade of the road and junction infrastructure to streamline traffic and reduce mishaps. The idea had been mooted last year when the municipal corporation had decided to develop certain junctions in the city under the Smart City Mission. A proposal for the same has also been included in the agenda of the next meeting of the finance and contracts committee (F and CC).
The civic body’s quest for experts is not limited to traffic, the administrative cogwheels are in motion to appoint a horticulture consultant in the city. Punjab Road Safety Council member Rahul Verma said that there is a dire need to appoint a traffic consultant in the municipal corporation, especially when authorities are contemplating developing road infrastructure and decongesting junctions.
“The engineers are not well versed with the traffic norms and requirements needed to make the roads safe for commuters. Sometimes, the MC creates bottlenecks by not building slip roads and other components required for the smooth flow of traffic. A lot of work regarding road safety, including installation of sign boards, and cat’s eyes (retro-reflective safety device used in road marking), needs to be done,” he said, adding that the expert will prepare designs for roads, slip roads and roundabouts to ease traffic congestionand will also help synchronise traffic lights to streamline the flow of vehicles.
“There are a few points in the city, where the MC may need to acquire land for decongesting the junctions and intersections. This will also be decided by the consultant,” said Verma.
{{/usCountry}}“There are a few points in the city, where the MC may need to acquire land for decongesting the junctions and intersections. This will also be decided by the consultant,” said Verma.
{{/usCountry}}Rainwater harvesting systems
During the F and CC meet, which will be held next week, the committee will also deliberate upon the proposal to install rain water harvesting systems in all the four MC zonal offices. While authorities have been asking residents to opt for rainwater harvesting due to the depleting ground water levels, the civic body has been facing flak for not practising what it preaches.
Repair of musical fountain
The agenda also includes repairing the musical fountain at the Rose Garden, which has been lying defunct for a long time. The repair will cost around ₹16 lakh. A proposal for setting up floating barriers at different points of Buddha Nullah to stop the flow of solid waste into the Sutlej will also be discussed. Solid waste has also choked the drain at certain points. A memorial for the ‘Panj Pyare’ and naming different roads after them will also be discussed.