Caught in the festive rush, city grapples with traffic woes

“The parking lots are full. They are catering to vehicles beyond their capacities. The vehicles keep coming. Where do we accommodate them?” said a traffic policeman deployed at the Sector-19 market.

He added, “People surely cannot park their vehicles two kilometres away from the marketplace.”

For the authorities, meanwhile, it is the vehicles parked on roadsides that are causing the chaos. The problem is at its peak during the evening hours in Sectors 34, 35, 17, 18, 19, 22 and 15.

“We are towing away vehicles parked on roadsides in the strictly prohibited areas. At some places, policemen are even allowing parking of vehicles in the no-parking zones to avoid chaos,” said DSP (Traffic) J S Cheema.

There are various points along the Madhya Marg where traffic moves at snail’s pace.

These points include: Government Press lightpoint, bus stand roundabout, traffic area lightpoints, Grain Market roundabout, Kissan Bhawan roundabout and Piccadily lightpoint.

Superintendent of Police (Traffic) H S Doon maintained they are trying their best to manage the traffic.

“It is courtesy the efforts of the traffic police that traffic does not come to a standstill. The city has more vehicles than the space available in the parking lots,” said Doon.

He further added, “We advise people not to park their vehicles at wrong places and listen to the traffic policemen posted at the parking areas.”

Advisory by Traffic Police

* People should prefer public mode of transport to go out.

* Avoid taking vehicles to market places near residences.

* Go for shopping, preferably during the day.

* Obey traffic officials on duty.