Thane citizens ask for more traffic cops at market areas during festival

Citizens have urged the Thane traffic police to deploy additional personnel at various market areas during Diwali to deal with the increased traffic.

Citizens have urged the Thane traffic police to deploy additional personnel at various market areas during Diwali to deal with the increased traffic.

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Areas such as Gaondevi market, station road, Jambhli Naka, and Ram Maruti road witness bottleneck traffic during peak hours and especially during the festive seasons.

Haphazardly parked vehicles add to the congestion.

Thane traffic police have assured residents to deploy 50 traffic police personnel to curb congestion at market areas during Diwali week.

“The major reason behind congestion on the roads is the lack of parking space, which leads to illegal parking of vehicles. During Diwali, shoppers often park their vehicles haphazardly. However, the traffic team will deal with two-side parking and curb the congestion on roads,” said Amit Kale, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Thane.

“The team will be deployed from October 24 to October 30, which is observed as week-long Diwali festival,” added Kale.

The traffic police have urged citizens to use public transport over privately-owned vehicles as there is no parking facilities near market areas.

“All the market areas are located near the station road, hence it leads to a problem for pedestrians and vehicles, especially autorickshaws, during festive seasons,” said Nishant Kadam, 35, a resident of Naupada.

Citizens also said the traffic cops need to be more vigilant of autorickshaw drivers, who drive rashly even in congested market areas.

“Also, we often see parked autorickshaws at Gaondevi and the station area forming double queues, leaving little space for other vehicles like TMT buses and pedestrians to move. Hence, the traffic team should curb this and take stringent action against them,” said Nikita Chaudhary, 30, a resident of Ghodbunder, Thane.