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| Unbridled growth of vehicles in Jammu | | Govt in deep slumber as district in 'traffic danger zone' | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | June 3
Following lack of coordination between Public Works Department (PWD) and Transport Department coupled with dilapidated roads and shortage of parking lots, the frequency of vehicular accidents in Jammu district has increased several times pushing the district into a "traffic danger zone".
Interestingly, though the vehicular population on Jammu roads has increased nearly 13 times from what it was in 1982 yet the strength of the traffic police has not been raised proportionally to manage this huge increase. About 2000 to 2500 vehicles are being added in district every month.
Sources informed that the vehicular population of Jammu district has tremendously increased from 28,995 in 1982 to 3, 48,951 by end of March 2008 registering a growth of nearly 13 percent. Sources further maintained that in addition, about 8 lakh vehicles entering into the state every year.
The official reports reveal that the strength of traffic police in 1982 was 350 and it continues to be same today. Traffic experts informed that the road accident scenario in Jammu region is grim, as the number of vehicles has gone up phenomenally during the last two decades.
Sources maintained that 5373 buses have been registered with Regional Transport Office (RTO) Jammu while the number of cars and street wagon reached upto 63770. "More than 6500 mini-buses, 3450 taxis, 6465 Jeeps and Gypsy, 12454 three-wheelers, 216321 two wheelers, 8348 private tractors, 100 trailers, 21288 trucks and 4876 other vehicles have also been registered by the end of March 2008 since 1982," disclosed sources. They further informed that motorized two-wheelers accounted for 62 per cent of the total number of vehicles in Jammu district till March 2008.
Officials of Regional Transport Office Jammu informed News Agency of Kashmir that about 2000 to 2500 fresh vehicles are introduced on the city roads every month, adding that a fresh model is introduced after every 10000 vehicles but it does not take more than three months to touch the figure for a new model.
"Traffic has become chaotic on Jammu roads due to manifold increase in vehicle's population. A committee under the chairmanship of Divisional Commissioner Jammu has been constituted to monitor the traffic regulation across the Jammu city," officials asserted.
However, senior traffic police officers admitted the lack of coordination between PWD and Transport department and maintained that since 1982 traffic department have only 350 personnel, including officers and it becomes hectic for them to regulate the traffic that has witnessed a nearly 13 times increase in the traffic since 1982. A proposal to increase the strength of traffic cops by 1,500 was submitted to the Home department, the officials maintained.
On the condition of anonymity, they maintained, "This responsibility lies on the registering authority and the authority which is associated with building roads. The registering authority should limit the issuance of registration certificates while PWD department should take stringent measures for removing encroachments and widening the roads." |
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