Vijayawada: Due to the unplanned nature of the Vijayawada city, the residents face problems, with the ever increasing traffic problems. The city is neither pedestrian friendly nor vehicle friendly and unfit for controlling the ever growing traffic, particularly after the VIPs rush increased.
The city police are almost on the verge of a crisis as they are helplessin monitoring, diverting and controlling the traffic. Not only at the time of peak hours, but also at other times, there are traffic jams at every junction.
Commissioner of police G. Sawang informed that they could not manage the traffic as they have many responsibilities apart from the traffic. The police force is not sufficient enough to meet the growing needs of the city. He said that they have to protect the VIPs, foreign dignitaries and other VIPs of the Central government and ministers and especially Chief Minister.
Basically the city is not pedestrian friendly and adding to this the behaviour of the vendors is creating many problems for the pedestrians. The Commissioner explained that according to a recent survey, the city needs traffic signals at at least 65 centres. Right now, there are about 29 signal junctions. Out of them only six are in working condition. There is urgent need to install the sufficient number of signal lights and cameras at every signal point.
Mr Sawang said that it has become very difficult to control the vehicles at the traffic junctions. He explained that there are no traffic lines on the roads to guide the vehicles to stop at the junction.
He observed that the construction of the Kanakadurga flyover became another man-made problem for the traffic in the city as the construction started without providing alternate route for the traffic. Traffic in the coming Krishna Pushkaralu would be the most difficult task for them, he added.
