Traffic is Terrific, writes Nirmalendu Kar Purakayastha

Sept. 6: Most of the roads, ways, streets and lane in Silchar town are full of vehicles, rickshaws, cycles and wheel barrows. Here, the unique style of driving is overtaking. Any one hits the road with his vehicle to reach his destination ignoring traffic rules and fellow driver’ s convenience. Even the rickshaw puller too joins this mad race. There are freestyle parking zones in the town. Auto and Rickshaw/ e-rickshaw drivers love to occupy space for their parking slot in the busiest places of the town. As a result, unauthorised stands have mushroomed in every nook and corner of Silchar.

Another unique feature of parking in street/lane is keeping vehicles as per one’s wish. Some callous vehicle owners park in front of others gate with vanity and vanishes into blue .Careless vehicle owners doesn’t bother for long lasting traffic congestion in lane/ street and difficulties of others for moving his /her vehicle from the residence. Such people little bother that careless parking causes traffic congestion for a considerable duration, thereby resulting in public nuisance.

Some of the areas like Jail Road (from Church Road towards Central Jail ) have witnessed widening of the streets, but they are of no avail as the extended portion of road is encroached by make shift market and unauthorised parking. The street between Rangirkhari point to Meherpur and onward although has not yet been completed, but ofcourse has been widened. But the story goes same in this busy road also. Vehicles including heavy one’s are often parked illegally thereby causing frequent traffic jam. Besides, there are roadside mechanics shop, food stalls, brisk business of sand, cement, bricks and many more business ventures who have illegally occupied part of the road meant for vehicles to ply smoothly.

The benefit of widening the streets and development is ironically marred by unauthorised parking and encroachment. The funniest, rather saddest part is that MP, MLA, administrators, media, leaders and all other law abiding officials as well as law implementing officials also move around without finding any permanent solution to these problems. The worst sufferers are helpless common people who can’t but have to move around for their work. Traffic congestion along various streets of Silchar for half an hour to one hour has become a common phenomenon. In a nutshell, “trafic is terrific in Silchar.”

I got to know from hearsay that the under constructed road between Rangirkhari point to Meherpur has been stopped due to legal complications. This road is now full of potholes as good as like death trap for the pillion riders and others. We are now literally moving around “safely” at the mercy of the GOD. Ultimately, good work for the benefit of the common people undertaken by the present Government vanishes into blue leaving a negative impact in the mind of common people.

*Nirmalendu Kar Purakayastha is a renowned Cost Accountant from Silchar