Kerala - Kochi   

As Onam approaches, traffic snarls hit a new high

Staff Reporter

Traders cry foul as festival business is affected

KOCHI: Traffic snarls, which have become the order of the day here, hit a new high rendering most of the trade centres in the city in accessible to the public.

As Onam shoppers poured in, vehicular movement during peak hours became a nightmare.

Traders joined city-dwellers in voicing their concern over the increasing traffic snarls.

Traders' charge

Trade was affected by the traffic blocks which had become a regular affair in key trade centres, said K. Venkatesh Pai, general secretary of the Ernakulam Merchants' Union.

Mr. Pai complained that business at Broadway and on Market Road and Jew Street was affected. People were now reluctant to come to these areas as vehicular traffic had become nearly impossible, he said.

Mr. Pai criticised the "inaction" of the traffic police in enforcing a one-way system in these sectors even after the union shelled out nearly Rs.1 lakh for putting up signboards in various parts of the city.

The issue was also brought to the Police Commissioner's notice during a face-to-face with traders.

Violation of rules

Mr. Pai said it would not be possible to post policemen on these roads to check traffic violations. It was mostly autorickshaws and small goods carriers which were flouting rules. The occasional presence of policemen would act as a deterrent.

With Onam round the corner, city roads would be further choked in the coming days. The business of nearly 1,000 traders located on the three narrow roads leading to M.G. Road and Banerji Road was affected, he said.

Police stand

However, police officials said the traders were hesitant to demarcate parking space, leaving space for vehicular movement.

Enforcement of rules could be effective only when traders marked the places where vehicles could be parked on these roads. Once demarcation was completed, the enforcement of the one-way system could start, said D.S. Suneesh Babu, Circle Inspector, City Traffic.

If the parking areas were demarcated, the police could act against vehicle owners violating the rules, he said.

Mr. Babu said people in the residential areas were of the view that two-wheelers should be exempted from the one-way restrictions, Mr. Babu said.

The police could put up such boards on an experimental basis for one month. But if the Corporation authorities removed these boards, nothing could be done about it. For, the law permitted only the Regional Transport Authority to put up signboards.

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