Vijayawada: Traffic management has become a major concern in Vijayawada, which has transformed into a metropolis after announcement of capital. The state planning department’s vision management unit had suggested a separate traffic commissionerate along with various other initiatives to reduce the congestion and sound pollution caused by traffic.
Vijayawada is the second most populous state in Andhra Pradesh with more than 1.4 million people as of 2011 and is rightly termed as the “cultural and business capital of Andhra Pradesh”. The city’s population is projected to grow to 2.5 million by 2025. With an increase in population, the number of vehicles owned and used will also increase. Traffic-related incidents such as violation of rules, accidents, traffic jams, illegal parking, persistent honking, air and noise pollution and so on are expected to be an every day situation. Several projects have been proposed to enhance the livability of Vijayawada and reduce traffic woes and pollution. “Vijayawada traffic police commissionerate is proposed to separate traffic regulation duties from law and order. The police commissionerate of Vijayawada currently handles law and order and traffic, causing a considerable overload on police personnel. Establishing a dedicated traffic police commissionerate will ensure efficient traffic regulation,” said a senior official of the vision management unit.
“A dedicated traffic police commissionerate in Vijayawada will enable special focus on traffic and parking regulation in the city. One-way traffic management, regulation on the usage of loudspeakers and parking can be handled by the traffic police commissionerate. Introducing e-rickshaws and phasing out diesel auto-rickshaws will also help reduce both noise and air pollution in the city,” said the senior official.
E-rickshaws were also proposed in Vijayawada to reduce noise and air pollution. At the same time, diesel autorickshaws should be phased out. Subsidies to introduce e-rickshaws can be obtained through various government schemes. Specific roads in Vijayawada, especially internal roads are congested, making two-way plying of vehicles difficult. Roads that can be converted to one-way roads should be identified and implemented to ensure free flow. Loudspeakers should be regulated and autos and two-wheelers using pressure horns should be banned, as unregulated usage in the city creates inconvenience to citizens. Rules to provide permissions for usage of loudspeakers should be strengthened to ensure minimal usage.
Sufficient parking areas should be identified in the city and unregulated parking spaces, especially on the roads, should be eliminated. A component of designating enough parking space should be designated while issuing building permissions for commercial and residential complexes.
