[dropcap]O[/dropcap]f late, traffic congestion has become a matter of grave concern in Dimapur. So serious is the problem that working people in this Nagaland commercial hub are finding it hard to meet their deadlines of work thereby affecting the work front badly.
In week days, the incoming vehicles from Chumukedima side (Dimapur-Kohima road) towards the town begin to go at snail’s pace from 4th Mile. The more the vehicles proceed towards the town the harder for the commuters to negotiate through. Similar situation is faced by commuters approaching from any of the directions to the town. Once reaching the town, the nightmare begins for vehicle owners as looking for parking lots becomes a big issue. To get a parking space nearby a market place where one plans to do the shopping comes on rare occasion. Again, to park in a secluded distanced place the vehicle owners ought to be wary of the vehicle lifters and the list grows.There is no immediate remedy to this Dimapur traffic farce. Nevertheless, authorities need to roll their sleeves up in affecting the present chaos while a long term measures are being formulated. Delaying in initiating to formulate an effective planning (long term perspective) would invite further complication. Eviction of settlements by the authorities will be a bitter pill to swallow as it is usually marked by unrest. Before things get too crowded the administration can also think of constructing flyovers /over-bridges.
One panacea to lessen the traffic congestion would be to encourage entrepreneurs setting up of huge shopping malls and hotels in the semi-outskirts of Dimapur. Banks and offices should be shifted from the heart of the town to elsewhere. This is one way of diverting the shoppers from the town. The administration also needs to see that the footpath vendors do not become a menace to the commuters. Weekly market taking place along the highways should be banned by the administration. Diversion of inter-state or inter-district public and goods transports from the fringes of the heart of the town can be another option to ease the traffic mess. Haphazard parking should be dealt sternly by the traffic police. The administration also sees that lack of man power (traffic police personnel) is not the factor in addressing the issue.
This column attempts to draw the attention of the administration concerned as it has become the matter of urgency because no visible spade work from the latter has come forth so far.
In a couple of years from now the commuters will experience the worst ever traffic situation in Dimapur. Chalking out strategies on war footing and implementing them by the concerned authorities is the need of the hour. The ballooning number of vehicle population and the migration of people from rural areas to the Nagaland commercial hub are some factors adding to the traffic woes. Aware of this grim situation, concerted efforts by the authorities concerned to have effective planning and policies should be the foremost agenda so as to thwart the mess. Good planning and attractive strategies will not help resolved the problem if the issue is addressed late.
