PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 18

Even as the city has been grappling with traffic chaos, cops deputed for streamlining the same, look the other way.

Instead of regulating traffic, the police personnel can be seen standing on the roadsides as mute spectators, while commuters can be seen struggling to find their way from the mess. Sometimes, it leads to unruly scenes and arguments among commuters.

Manoj Kumar, a resident, said, “This is a common sight whether you visit Putlighar Chowk, Lohgarh Chowk, Hall Gate, Albert Road Chowk or other intersections. Cops get active only when some VIPs are on the move.”

Another resident, Manmohan Singh, said, instead of regulating traffic, cops prefer to issue challans to ‘violators’. “Commuters hardly follow signals, thus leading to traffic jams,” he said and added that signals often remain dysfunctional at various intersections.

If the police and the district administration strictly enforce the law, traffic chaos can be sorted out to great extent, he said.

Due to extension work of Bhandari Bridge (known as lifeline of the holy city), one side has been closed for traffic movement. This has led to chaos on other stretches, especially near Hall Gate.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Parminder Singh Bhandal said plans were being chalked out to make the city free of traffic bottlenecks. Construction and development projects under way at various parts of the city also lead to traffic chaos.

He said traffic education programmes were being conducted to create awareness among the masses.

“Residents should behave like responsible citizens and abide by the traffic rules while commuting,” said Bhandal.