No relief from traffic woes in Srikakulam

Srikakulam: Management of traffic has become a Herculean task for Srikakulam Municipal Corporation (SMC) and police. Narrow roads, increasing number of vehicles, private travel buses, rented cars and auto-rickshaws parked on either side of main roads, road side vendors and pushcarts making it difficult for motorists to travel. Without looking into the issues and finding long-term solutions, traffic police are resorting to temporary measures resulting in frequent traffic snarls.

Traffic rush is witnessed on the main road daily from government RIMS hospital junction to Day and Night Junction, One way traffic road, Government Degree College (GDC) road, Potti Sriramulu Junction and Rythu Bazar road in Srikakulam city.

People say widening of road at Day and Night Junction, One way traffic road and also removal of pushcarts, makeshift shops and footpath encroachments are essential to ease the problem. It is also said that preventing parking of private travel vehicles, buses, rented cars and auto-rickshaws on either side of main roads is important. But officials have failed to take these permanent measures due to lack of will.

Moreover, officials concerned are allegedly influenced by owners of private buses, cabs, auto-rickshaw drivers, pushcart and petty vendors, allege residents of the city. In the wake of complaints on traffic rush in front of APSRTC complex, traffic police arranged iron grills on road side drain to park auto-rickshaws which is found to be inadequate.