Though the district administration had issued orders three years ago that heavy vehicles would not be allowed to pass through the city from the main Shaheed Subedar Joginder Singh chowk and instead they would take the Landheke village bypass route, yet the orders are still on papers only.
As a result, traffic jams between Amritsar road and Akalsar chowk near the bus stand are a routine. The traffic situation gets aggravated during peak hours.
Despite a special police team of the district traffic cell being deployed near the bus, traffic jams have been a great hassle for commuters for the past few years.
The Moga municipal corporation has also installed a board, warning buses not to halt anywhere except the bus stand, but orders are violated everyday by the bus drivers.
Encroachments in the city have also added to the traffic chaos in the city. Tushar Goyal, president of the Moga Lions Club, said heavy traffic and encroachments near the bus stand were rampant on city roads.
"The situation is the main reason behind accidents on the main chowk but it seems the authorities are not taking the matter seriously. During the past two years, several social organisations had submitted their grievances regarding traffic problems, but it seems that all our complaints have fallen on deaf ears," said Goyal.
Gurmilap Singh Dalla, a renowned social worker, said, "Several bus drivers stop their buses outside the stand, making the area unsafe for local residents. We have decided to submit a memorandum to Punjab agriculture minister Jathedar Tota Singh, who represents the area, to solve the problem soon."
{{/usCountry}}Gurmilap Singh Dalla, a renowned social worker, said, "Several bus drivers stop their buses outside the stand, making the area unsafe for local residents. We have decided to submit a memorandum to Punjab agriculture minister Jathedar Tota Singh, who represents the area, to solve the problem soon."
{{/usCountry}}Moga senior superintendent of police Jatinder Singh Khaira said he had told the traffic police in-charge to deploy policemen near the bus stand and set up check posts at strategic points in the city so that the rush could be controlled.
Moga deputy commissioner Parminder Singh Gill said, "I will ask the municipal corporation to remove the encroachments, especially near the Shaheed Subedar Joginder Singh chowk. There is no doubt that buses are the major cause of accidents, however, we will find a way to solve the issue near the bus stand soon," said the deputy commissioner.