Multipurpose car parking complex inaugurated

Our Correspondent

MANGALDAI, May 3: Finding no other alternative to bring an end to the traffic congestion in Mangaldai town, the Darrang district administration on Tuesday partly opened the multipurpose car parking even though the site is to be handed over by the implementing agency. This action came into effect following the promise of the Deputy Commissioner of Darrang, Ashok Kr Barman while launching the celebration of the 29th edition of the National Road Safety Week on April 23. The multipurpose complex covering an area of 16,764 sq ft is reportedly second of its kind after the one in Guwahati. It has been constructed with an administrative approval of Rs 5 crore under the centrally sponsored Special Assistance Programme (SPA) and has provision for parking a total of 32 four-wheeler vehicles on each floor.

On the occasion a public function was organized where Mangaldai legislator Gurujyoti Das was present along with Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kr Barman, Additional Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Chakravorty, Deputy Superintendent of Police (HQ), Mangaldai, Amit Hojai, chairman of Mangaldai Municipal Board, Pratap Bordoloi, and several other leading citizens.

Justifying reason for opening the complex before its formal completion, Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kr Barman underlined that with the increase in the number of smaller vehicles, the traffic load in Mangaldai town, particularly in two busy streets of the town, namely LNB Road and BR Road, had almost gone out of control for the administration, mainly because of the parking of two wheelers. The situation may turn from bad to worse with any kind of possible disaster, he said.

Barman laid stress on using the complex initially for two wheelers and declared both the above mentioned two streets as no-parking zones and regulated the traffic movement on an experiment basis. “Any person who visits our district Darrang says that it is a green district. But they often complain about the traffic snarls. Moreover, I always fear about the possible grave situation that may arise from any kind of disaster in the town when an ambulance or a fire fighter will face a tough time to reach the victims,” he said. Several prominent citizens like Dr Amarendra Narayan Dev, Bipul Ranjan Dey and Anupam Deka also spoke on the occasion and pointed out some loopholes in the drawing, including the single entry and exit, among others.