For many law abiding motorists, driving his/her own vehicle in the temple city safely and reaching home without any damage from other vehicle users seems to be an art.
Yes.
The traffic police may disagree, but the fact remains that the number of persons disobeying road rules looks much higher than those following them.
Take for instance the Tamil Sangam Road. The traffic police have clearly mentioned the parking rules for this road. However, a majority of motorists ignor it. As a result, there is always conflict between those obeying the rules and violators.
On Monday, around 10.30 a.m., when an ambulance was trying to reach the Government Rajaji Hospital from Theni side, the driver had a tough time crossing the Tamil Sangam Road, which was less than 900 metres long.
Right from the rail-over-bridge, vehicles were moving slowly. The reason found out by The Hindu team was that a lorry operator was unloading consignment to his clients on Pechiamman Padithurai Road. For this, he had parked the vehicle on the Tamil Sangam Road, least bothered about the traffic jam. Though the road is about 40feet in width, parking of two-wheelers, four-wheelers and roadside vendors encroaching the platform had reduced the carriage space. “At least, for five precious minutes, the ambulance remained immobile,” Ponnusami, a shopkeeper in the vicinity, said and added that this was a daily scene.
“Man-made traffic” jams
Such “man-made” traffic jams are on the rise. Tamil Sangam Road and West Veli Street were not just isolated stretches, motorists said and added that strict enforcement and impartial action alone would save the city from the menace.
The North -West Masi Street stretch is yet another classic example, where police have allowed select shopkeepers to violate rules, while imposing fines or towing vehicles of others for parking on ‘no parking’ zones.
Despite the stretches being ‘one-way,’ traffic moved at a snail’s pace on most of the times. One can go in a car in these roads only before 8 a.m. as unloading and loading activities by trucks begin from 9 a.m. and go on till midnight.
Likewise, it is better not to venture on South Masi Street in owner-driven cars as not only parking is a problem, but moving on these roads itself is difficult due to haphazard parking.
Suggestions
Police should no longer say that manpower shortage is a major reason for ineffective enforcement. “When the police can ensure free flow of vehicles and see that no vehicle was parked on no parking areas during VVIP visits, what prevented them from not regulating in normal times,” Samuel, a teacher in a city college, asked.
The police should impose fines and tow vehicles which violated parking norms. “Earlier, the traffic police used to display a huge sign board near A V Bridge telling motorists about the number of road accidents (whether risen or fallen), the number of violators and fines collected.
