Saraighat Bridge declared protected area

GUWAHATI, August 7: Better late than never — one has to take solace from this saying. In an order issued on Monday, Kamrup (M) District Magistrate, who is also RTA chairman, declared the Old and the New Saraighat Bridges a ‘protected area’ by making them no-parking and no-selfie zones.

In a statement issued to the press, the district administration says that it has been observed that a large number of vehicles, including buses, cars, bikes both commercial and private plying in Old Saraighat Bridge and New Saraighat under Guwahati city are flouting all rules and regulations. Guwahati being the Gateway of North-East India needs to have a systematic approach for making this system hassle free, the order said.

It has been observed that, the haphazard and the unsystematic parking of vehicles is causing severe traffic congesting as well as inconvenience. “There is also an increasing trend of accidents occurring in the process of taking selfies widely reported in the media. Guwahati being the capital city of the state needs to have a systematic approach for curtailing the number of accidents/ mishaps to some extent,” the order said, and added: “Due to non-compliance of the basic rules, various accidents occur casing irreparable loss of lives and also create many law-and-order situation.”

Violation of this order by any person, according to the order, shall be liable to be punished and imposed fine up to Rs. 10,000.

In view of the above, the District Magistrate, Kamrup Metropolitan, has prohibited parking of any type of vehicle at Old Saraighat Bridge and New Saraighat Bridge and declare the said area as a ‘protected area’ for ‘no-parking zone’ and ‘no-selfie zone’with immediate effect and until further order. Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) will ensure for compliance of this order, the order added.