E-Paper
Traffic jams posing problems for citizens, tourists
TRAFFIC SNARLS have been persistently posing problems for the citizens and the tourists as the city?s prominent routes are witnessing unprecedented jam even on holidays.
TRAFFIC SNARLS have been persistently posing problems for the citizens and the tourists as the city’s prominent routes are witnessing unprecedented jam even on holidays.
As a result of this, even the first day of the new year witnessed a two kilometer-long traffic jam from Sigra to Bhelupur crossing. It took two hours to restore smooth traffic flow on the road. Reasons behind frequent traffic jams were lack of traffic sense among vehicular traffic, allowing entry of heavy vehicles into the city’s no entry zones, dilapidated conditions of almost all the roads and encroachments by makeshift shops etc.
The condition of prominent roads including Lahurabeer-Godaulia, Lanka-Ravindrapuri, Andhrapul-Kachehari, Ashapur-Pandeypur, Naria-DLW, Samne Ghat-Lanka, Cantonment Lanka, etc., have become worst.
The main road connecting Ravidas Gate to BHU main gate is more than 200 feet wide but more than 70 per cent of road width has been encroached by makeshift shop owners.
“Several efforts have been made to make the city area free from traffic jam but all the efforts seem to have failed in controlling the vehicular traffic here,” said Shailendra Ojha.
It may be noted that the then District Magistrate of Varanasi, Niteeshwar Kumar, had held a meeting of eminent personalities including civil engineers of BHU of district to chalk out a comprehensive strategy to avoid snarls.
District magistrate Nitin Ramesh Gokarn also issued an order on November 19 last for not allowing auto rickshaws to run in the city area but nothing has been done yet. The DM had also issued an order to declare the prominent crossing as no parking zone within the area of 25-metre circumference of the crossing.
