GUWAHATI: Lately traffic congestion has become a persistent issue in Guwahati. Be it during the daytime or until late evening, plying on the city streets has become a major issue to worry about. The timings of ‘peak hours’ or ‘rush hours’ have long become blurred, as there hardly seems to pass an hour when a commuter can commute freely on any of the roads of Guwahati.
And citizens and traffic personnel alike attribute these sudden incessant traffic congestions to the many bridge construction activities undertaken by the government simultaneously across the city prior to the state assembly elections and to the lack of sufficient manpower in the police force.
G Plus observed through many traffic jams in Guwahati, and of the many reasons that contribute to the congestion. One of the major reasons is the citizens’ lack of civic sense or to be very precise, their unwillingness to follow the directions of the traffic constables and home-guards that are on duty to manage the traffic.
To narrate one such incident, we spent a few hours at one end of the Athgoan Bridge on AT Road. A heavy accumulation of traffic was seen at the crossroad as the railway gate opened after about 10 minutes of closure. While the home guard on duty did his best to contain the rush allotting equal time to vehicles from every side to pass by, people were reluctant to wait for their turn, honking continuously and some even moving forward slowly against the personnel’s continuous orders and pleas to halt at the specified place. And within minutes the crossroad was blocked from all sides with hardly any space to move thus leading to a deadlock that took even more time to clear out.
Who do we blame here? And this is only one of the many hundreds of incidents that the unruly commuters of Guwahati can take credit for in contributing towards hours-long traffic congestions.
Also, why are the traffic duties being handed over to home-guards?
Talking with few in-charges of the police stations reconfirmed that Assam Police is severely short of manpower, and especially so in the traffic department. Sources said that while the number of vehicles has been constantly increasing, the department cannot provide enough personnel to maintain the traffic at every necessary point. And even at places where officials are on duty, their numbers are relatively less against the actual manpower needed to control that location .Eg: Sarabbhati Panchali, Beltola Chariali, Maligaon etc.
“We already have very less people. Although we try to deploy them at the most strategic points as necessary, people do not follow their orders. Guwahatians have adopted the habit of checking the personnel’s uniforms. And once they are sure that the person on duty is a constable or a home guard, people do not care to follow orders,” said Jayanta Kumar Das, officer in-charge of Fancy Bazar Outpost.
“We have had many instances when people have misbehaved with our on-duty officials, especially, in areas under our jurisdiction. It’s the hub of Guwahati - a market place. Although our men try to regulate the traffic or even order commuters harshly at times, people retaliate showing connections with higher officials and authorities. Since most are home-guards called on duty for just six months, they are wary of being complained against,” he added.
An on-duty home guard said, “I stand here from morning to afternoon and then again in the evening, through harsh sunny days and equally in the rain, but given my designation as a mere home-guard most people do not give a damn to my directions. They are rich businessmen with high connections and couldn’t care less. But they fail to understand that we work hard to make their commute easier and hassle-free.”
“At times I have had complaints against me because I have been rude trying to maintain traffic decorum, which brings bad remarks on my record and I might not be called on duty again,” he lamented.
Pranjit Borah, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) stated, “Irrespective of designation or department, every personnel who is deployed on duty gets a proper certificate of recognition and are conferred with the necessary power to give orders for smooth regulation of the traffic. As for home-guard, they are ‘called-out’ for duty as and when required for a period of six months, and when on duty, they have all the powers and privileges as any other on-duty official.”
“And citizens should not think otherwise and show restraint. We have even had instances where cases have been registered against citizens for misbehaving with our home-guards,” he added.
Sources in the department have also informed that while the traffic personnel are given extensive training to maintain smooth flow and taught to break even the severest of traffic jams, the home-guards are called-out with just about a week of basic training. Hence at times, they prove inefficient in disbursing their duties well, despite efforts.
Lack of manpower in Traffic Department a major concern
Guwahati is a burgeoning metropolis and requires huge manpower to support its smooth functioning. And the traffic department plays an integral part of that power house. However, as per sources, while the department needs around a 900-individual strong force in one shift to maintain the city’s traffic (having three shifts per day on rotation basis), it has only about 750 personnel in total.
Of these, there is always a leave rate of 10 percent at any given time as per police manual. So the strength remains at 675 personnel only. Sources informed that of these only about 500 officials are of the traffic department. The rest 200 are brought on deputation from battalions to support the strength of the department.
“While the need is of over 900 traffic policemen to work in just one shift, we have just about 300 only. And the main issue is that the department does not have any such posts to recruit more people. We have written to the government for creation of new posts in the department. We have done a survey on the requirements in the upcoming years and have asked for creation of at least 900 to 2,000 new posts. But that will take time,” informed Pranjit Borah, DCP (Traffic).
Government fails to take traffic department’s suggestion prior to construction of bridges
G Plus took up the matter of incessant traffic congestion post the undertaking of construction activities on the city’s main roads, and enquired about the planning procedures involved.
Sadly, the DCP (Traffic) informed that no discussion was ever held with the traffic department before the massive construction works were started.
“Our opinions and advices were never sought. Often we are not even informed before any such decision is taken and until work has already started. So how are we to set a guide map and regulate the traffic?” said Borah.
“Work on the foot over bridges is already in progress and has led to extensive traffic congestions. Now we have halted the construction work on the proposed Maligaon bridge until the authorities repair the other service roads for public usage. If the alternative roads are not functioning properly, imagine the jam that will block the main road towards Jalukbari,” he added.
“We have urged the government to include the department and take our suggestions in such other development plans in the future,” Pranjit Borah said.