Saturday, 04 MAY 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The chief secretary Radha Raturi directed the departments concerned to launch a campaign from Saturday against the illegal parking of vehicles on the roadside in Rishikesh, Lakshmanjhula, Muni Ki Reti, Tapovan, Srinagar and Dehradun. This initiative is expected to improve the traffic flow in these areas before the Char Dham Yatra begins on May 10. The CS instructed officials to take strict action against those found to be violating the rules during the campaign. She also directed them to act against roadside encroachments in these areas. Raturi stated this in a meeting on Friday with the officiating director general of police Abhinav Kumar and Garhwal commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey regarding the traffic management on Char Dham routes. She asked the police to make parking arrangements for tourists near rafting and camping sites to ensure they are not forced to park in public spaces that lead to traffic jams. If necessary, make arrangements for parking in available private properties. She asked the officials to ensure that the authorities do not tolerate the trend of parking vehicles on the roads under any circumstances and take strict and prompt action against it. She also directed to act against such hotel and restaurant owners who have not provided adequate parking arrangements for their employees and customers in their premises and tend to promote illegal parking on roads. Besides this, Raturi also asked the officials to send proposals to the government soon regarding the widening of various narrow routes including Neelkanth in the Garhwal region to mitigate traffic jam problems. She also directed the district magistrates concerned to start working on the proposals for alternative routes to Char Dham shrines. The officials concerned must take all possible measures to streamline traffic on Char Dham routes before the Char Dham Yatra starts on May 10 to ensure pilgrims do not have to face convenience during the Yatra, she added.
