Agartala traffic system to get facelift, town bus returning

AGARTALA, : The Transport department of Tripura is considering a proposal to bring massive change in the transportation system in Agartala town to facilitate free and easy movement of traffic.

Revival of the old town bus service in all the routes is going to be the key of the newly devised transportation system where there will be space for auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws too but in a controlled manner.

Transport Minister Pranajit Singha Roy discussed the new proposal in detail in a meeting on Monday where representatives of the Transport Department, Traffic and police were present. It has been decided that the new proposal will come into effect from December next.

The Minister said that to reduce pressure on roads, TRTC and the Urban Transport Corporation will launch sufficient numbers of buses in all the routes and added that the present point-to-point auto service will be eliminated. Only meter autos will be allowed to provide service in the city.

He said e-rickshaws will not be allowed to provide service in the main roads of the town and they will be allowed only in the outskirts of the city and in the feeder roads.

Some roads will become ‘one way’ during the busy hours between 9 and 11 am and between 5 and 6.30 pm to avoid traffic congestion. Initially Colonial Chowmuhani to North Gate will become ‘one way’ when the city-bound vehicles come from North Gate via Bodhjung Chowmuhani. In the 1960s and the 1970s, the traffic system of Agartala was mostly dependent on a well managed town bus service which was stopped after the Left Front government came to power in 1978 and the auto rickshaws occupied the vacuum. The Minister said hundreds of auto rickshaws have been identified as the biggest problem for free movement of traffic and the government has decided to restrict their movement. It has decided to revive the old town bus system to ensure easy movement of the commuters.