Traffic problems clog Tinsukia town

From our Correspondent

TINSUKIA, October 4: With Durga Puja in the offing, unregulated traffic in Tinsukia town during the past couple of days has created serious problems for the general public.

There are auto rickshaws numbering several hundred, many of which without valid permits have been plying during peak hours on the main thoroughfares of the town. Most of these auto-rickshaws do not follow any traffic rules. Due to their arrogant behavior, neither police nor transport authorities dare to levy pelties on these erring drivers.

The drivers even do not allow ambulances to take over their vehicles. Traffic goes out of gear during peak hours as most of the traffic policemen disappear from important sigl points, which turn out to be resting centres for CRPF personnel. Notable among these are Chirwapatty junction connecting four vital roads- College Road, Parbotia Road, Chirwapatty Road and GNB Road - and Tinkunia junction connecting AT Road and GNB Road. Line buses and wingers plying between Tinsukia and Dibrugarh create further traffic chaos as bus owners allegedly have tactic understanding with traffic police.

Tinsukia being a commercial hub, people from neighbouring towns and tea gardens throng to Tinsukia markets in thousands for Puja shopping and the rush is expected to be more in the next few days. While minor accidents are the order of the day, which majority of the car owners from outside Tinsukia ignore for fear of being roughed up, the conscious citizens of the town desire that traffic police should tame the erring drivers and stop the unholy nexus in order to make it safe and peaceful while driving within the Tinsukia municipal area.