Shimla, June 8: Getting stuck in endless traffic jams in the scorching heat is a tormenting experience and the tourists travelling to the “Queen of Hills” are undergoing this ordeal every day.
Traffic jams are a regular feature in the congested capital city but the ongoing road tarring works in the peak tourist season has made things worse. Not only the tourists but even the locals are feeling the heat. These days one can drive from Chandigarh to bypass (outskirts of Shimla) in around two-and-a-half hours but the remaining three kms can take anything from one to three hours.
Circular Road, lifeline of the city, remains blocked throughout the day despite policemen deputed there to man the movement of vehicles. There is no way to ensure smooth flow of traffic as the narrow road cannot take the increasing volume of traffic. “It took us six hours to reach Shimla from Chandigarh”, said Hem Kumar, who was coming back home.
Worse, the road tarring work can only be carried out during peak summer when the temperature is conducive for use of bitumen. Cold climate, particularly in the higher hills of Shimla region, is not conducive for tarring because of low ambient temperatures.
As per the data of the Tourism Department, nearly 1.84 crore tourists visited Himachal last year. The maximum tourists visit the state from April to mid July which is also the best time for metalling of roads and as such there is little scope of altering the tarring schedule to facilitate smooth running of vehicles, said a senior engineers adding: “We have to achieve the targets within a limited period.”
The hindrance created by road tarring work apart, the ongoing four-laning of two major National Highways – Shimla-Kalka and Kiratpur- Manali — has added to the woes of motorists who have to virtually drive through bumpy dustbowls with frequent diversions in the absence of inadequate signage. The traffic moves at a snail’s pace.
The Kiratpur–Manali road was blocked near Sundernagar few days ago for nearly 20 hours and commuters had a harrowing time while traffic jams of two to three hours at several places on the Shimla- Kalka highway has become a routine affair.
No alternate routes have been carved out to ease the traffic congestion. Moreover, unchecked multi-storied buildings are coming up all over the hills, particularly along the highways, regardless of carrying capacity of hills.
The situation has become worse after the enactment of the law to regularise unauthorised constructions on “as is, where is” basis as even open spaces and garages have been converted into shops or habitable floors in residential areas further compounding the problems, said Lt. Gen (retired) HS Lidder.
Many feel that in spite of strong notice taken by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the High Court, the government instead of taking strong action to regulate constructions as per the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act, is bringing “ruinous” retention policies and rewarding the “willful defaulters”.
Harrowing time
- The hindrance created by road tarring work apart, the ongoing four-laning of two major National Highways, Shimla-Kalka and Kiratpur- Manali, has added to the woes of motorists
- They have to virtually drive through bumpy dustbowls with frequent diversions in the absence of inadequate signage.
Source Tribune India
