No entry for heavy vehicles during peak hours

UNCLOG KALYAN ROADS

KALYAN: The president of the Auto Rickshaw Taxi Union, Prakash Penkar, had planned a protest at traffic police office on Friday in wake of increasing traffic and poor management.

However, the protest was called off after traffic cops agreed to one of his demands immediately. The union’s demand of no entry into the city during peak hours was agreed.

“Entry to vehicles with more than four wheels and multiaxial vehicles should be banned in Kalyan and they should be diverted through other routes along with a fixed entry time,” said Penkar.

The traffic cops have issued a notification saying ‘both multiaxial as well as other heavy vehicles are allowed only after 8pm on city roads like Lal Chowk, Shivaji Chowk and station road, also the vehicles have to The problem of entry of heavy vehicle has been solved immediately and will be in effect from Saturday but for other demand authorities have taken a month’s time.

Total number of auto rickshaws in twin city - ply through the diversions suggested by traffic cops present on the spot.”

The problem of increasing traffic has plagued Kalyan for a long time and even commuters have complained about the menace time and again. Despite repeated complaints, no corrective measures have been taken by the authorities. Following this,

Penkar put forward his demands and has given a month’s time to the authorities to increase traffic constables manning traffic at prime areas in the city and crack on illegal autos.

According to Penkar, heavy vehicles are to be blamed for the daily traffic, which lasts for more than two hours. The areas like Lal Chowk, Sahjanand Chowk, Shivaji Chowk, Bail Bazar, Subhash Chowk and station road are the worst affected. These are the major roads connecting city and heavy vehicles leads to bottle neck traffic during peak hours.

“With most of the rickshaws stuck in traffic during peak hours, people don’t get autos due to which they get late for their destination. The drivers have been complaining about the issue for long a time, hence we have taken up the matter with the traffic department for immediate intervention,” added Penkar.

Apart from heavy vehicles, Penkar is also miffed with the traffic authorities for poor management in prime areas of the city. He said “Every time we ask for increased number of traffic cops to man traffic in prime areas they say that they are short staffed, which completely reflects on traffic management of the city.”