Bhopal Notes :: 82 :: Traffic chaos

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Traffic in the town, especially in the old Bhopal area is reported to have become increasingly difficult because of encroachments. The other day a report appeared in the vernacular press that it took for  an ambulance 50 minutes to cover the distance of half a kilometer between SadarManzil and Hamidia Hospital. All through, the road was encroached upon and traffic police was not to be seen anywhere.

After the annual Tablighi Ijtema, a religious congregation that is attended by hundreds of thousands of Muslims, concluded in December last as usual the eponymously temporary Market was set up on the opposite side of the gate of the Hamidia Hospital. It offer  cheap goods that attract enormous crowds and with crowds in front of various kiosks and at the bus stop next to the Hospital gate it becomes difficult to negotiate through the multiple obstructions. This has been going on for years but no preventive action has ever been taken to ensure a smoother flow of traffic.

 In the instant case since an ambulance was involved, presumably carrying a patient, it made it to the newspapers. But this is what is happening on various roads particularly in older parts of the town. Since this is a regular feature, obstructions or blockages of traffic hardly ever are reported by the media.

Take for instance the road to Karbala from the GAD Square. This may not be called an artery but is an important road that connects Shahjehanabad with New Bhopal through the VIP Road. There are certainly alternatives available but because those are already chocked a major proportion of the vehicular traffic, including cars two-wheelers, big buses of Cambridge School and St. Joseph’s Convent and other sundry vehicles, take this road for speedier commute to New Bhopal But, of late, this road too has started to show signs of getting choked.

Firstly there are any number of handcarts selling vegetables are parked on one side of the road. This is after the Municipal Corporation provided pucca shops for hawkers on the other side of the road. But no, the city roads are like mints for the municipal councilors. They informally allot spaces for the handcarts for a consideration and the Police winks at this brazen irregularity and allows them the use of road-space for, again, some consideration. The same is the case with what are known as “gumties” or kiosks. The city is full of them and Karbala Road has a fair share of them. They are portable shops and can be towed with facile ease. But the need for that seldom occurs as none ever challenges them. If somebody, by a mistaken notions of his duties, does challenge them everything is settled by exchange of a little bit of cash. That makes everyone happy. These kiosks, too, are obstructive of traffic, occupying as they do substantial areas of the road.

Worse, however, are the hole-in-the-wall shops of about 150 or 200 square feet area that came up about five or six years ago. Most of them are automobile repair shops where the owner doubles up as the mechanic or the mechanic may be a hired hand. Whatever might be the arrangements in regard to the personnel, the vehicles that come for their attention are attended to on the road occupying a sizable portion of it. If there are a dozen shops doing the same thing right on the road one can imagine what happens to the genuine road users. Then add to these shops at least a couple of car washing outfits which generally have a waiting line. The waiting vehicles are merrily parked on the roadside without a concern for the commuting public. One would seldom see a traffic policeman on this road. I have never seen one.

The Karbala Road boasts of an office of a DIG Police as also bungalow of a minister. But, for years an informal market of used cars has been operating from here without let or hindrance. One would find numerous vehicles heavily laden with dust parked up there. Obviously these vehicles have remained parked there for quite some days or months. Surprisingly, on occasions I have seen even buses joining the crowd of vehicles awaiting prospective buyers. There are always hordes of people hanging around and driving through this melee is a nightmare. Surprisingly, the hardships that commuters face in negotiating Karbala Road hardly ever makes its way to the pages of newspapers.

This is sheer misuse of public roads for private profit and none seems to be bothered about it. If for some reasons the Municipal Corporation is unable to clear the road and banish from it all those who irregularly ply their trade on it it should at least charge hefty rentals from them. But is there anybody in the Municipality gutsy enough to try and do that? After all, it is the politicians – petty or big – rule the roost.